Navy veteran and NHS medical secretary from Benfleet will lead a march at the Cenotaph
Paris Campbell-Martin says she will feel a "phenomenal" sense of pride
An NHS medical secretary and Royal Navy veteran will be leading a march this Remembrance weekend at the Cenotaph.
She says that she will feel a "phenomenal" sense of pride, leading the Type 22 Association's march next to the monument.
Paris Campbell-Martin served in the Royal Navy, and was part of the first group of women that served at sea alongside men.
She was one of 18 women on a ship with 253 men.
She said that marching at the Cenotaph is going to be an "honour."
Paris is a medical secretary at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, which is credited as being Veteran Aware.
This means that veterans are recognised for their service, and receive compassionate and informed care. When notified, the trust can provide special care for veterans.
Paris told us about her journey:
"I joined the navy in 1991. I was 21 years old.
"I did my specialist training and I won the Captain's Prize all through my training, so I was a top student.
"I was drafted on HMS Brazen. She's a type 22 frigate, and that was my first ship.
"When I got on board there were already 17 girls there. I was the last one to join.
"I think if I remember rightly there were 253 men, and just us 18 girls.
"We had to prove ourselves, and prove that we were just as good to be on board ship, and that we weren't a hindrance.
"You can't even begin to put into words what it is like to serve your time for Queen and country. It is just thrilling.
"We had a lot of difference of opinion between people who were happy to have us on board, and men that weren't particularly happy to have us, and felt that a warship wasn't a place for a woman.
"We had to go above and beyond for our work.
"I left the navy because I got married to another sailor."
Paris worked and trained for various other jobs before joining the NHS. She had worked at supermarkets and the civil service to name a few.
"I literally have done every single job in the NHS you can think of. I've worked wards, in the community, in the mortuary, on X-ray, you name it, I have done it.
"Now I work for Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, and I have got what is known as a veteran status, on my personal medical record.
"The trust is aware of the commitment that I gave to my country, and in return they treat us a little bit more special.
"I'm not saying we get priority over people, but we are acknowledged for the service."
"It's Remembrance Day this Sunday, and I have got the honour of marching at the Cenotaph.
"I am what is known as the left-hand marker, so I am the person that carries the wreath, and as we walk past the Cenotaph I am the one that gives the command 'Eyes left' and hand the wreath over so that it gets put with all the other hundreds of wreaths."
Paris is the Chairman of the Type 22 Association, which is formed of veterans that served on type 22 frigates.
She has organised charity events, and group re-unions, and the group has over 3,500 members.
"I always watched the Remembrance Sunday, it is so dear to my heart, and I thought 'You know what I want to march there.'
"I contacted the Royal British Legion ... we got put into a ballot and were extremely lucky to have got selected.
"Last year it was our first time ever marching as the Type 22 Assocation.
"It was such an immensely proud moment for me. I did actually start crying as I went past, and then you go round the corner and Prince William took the salute.
"It was an amazing day, also very emotional.
"It is our second year of marching, and the people that are marching this year, a lot of them haven't marched before. So it's a new batch of veterans that are marching this year.
"I'm bringing new people to experience something they would probably never get to do if it wasn't for us being invited to march.
"The sense of pride I get from that is phenomenal.
"I am marching with thousands and thousands of veterans, paying our respects to the fallen.
"I can't even begin to put into words the pride and emotion that I'm the person that gets to lead that group and hand the wreath over. It is just incredible."
She said that anybody that has served on a Type 22 frigate can join the association.