Press Release Summary = Navy chiefs have overturned a blanket ban on sailors accessing websites while onboard ship after officers complained that the move could end their chances of an internet romance. Among the sites initially barred was Uniform Dating, an online dating site for members of the armed forces and emergency services, prompting an angry reaction from sailors who use the site to search for romance while away on duty.
Press Release Body = Navy chiefs have overturned a blanket ban on sailors accessing websites while onboard ship after officers complained that the move could end their chances of an internet romance. The Royal Navy recently introduced a 'balancing of lives' policy that enabled off-duty officers to surf the web while serving on warships around the world. But earlier this week the MoD confirmed that access to 'heavy bandwidth' sites - those that feature lots of images - had been blocked. Among the sites barred was Uniform Dating, an online dating site for members of the armed forces and emergency services, prompting an angry reaction from sailors who use the site to search for romance while away on duty. Following complaints to senior officers that the move was unfair, the Royal Navy relented on the ban and has given sailors permission to carry on looking for love online. An officer currently serving on HMS Nottingham described the original ban as "absolute rubbish": "With sailors and other members of the armed forces spending so much of their time deployed these days, sites like Uniform Dating give us a better chance of meeting someone who understands the armed forces lifestyle. "At least common sense has prevailed here. When you are at sea on long deployments, you look forward to checking your emails and any personal messages you've received from the site - it makes life a bit more bearable." Royal Navy spokesman Commander Mark Durkin confirmed that the online dating site had been exempted from the ban: "In line with our 'balancing of lives' programme, the Royal Navy continues to do everything that it can to enhance the conditions of service for sailors deployed away from home." Geoff Hyams, Managing Director of UniformDating.com, said the Royal Navy's decision to overturn its policy in less than 24 hours had underlined the importance of the internet for members of the armed forces. "We have members from all sectors of the armed forces using Uniform Dating, and for those serving abroad in areas such as Iraq and Afghanistan, sites such as ours play an invaluable role in bringing a little bit of normality into their lives," said Hyams. "The Royal Navy should be congratulated for acting so quickly to overturn the original ban."
NOTES FOR EDITORS: The UK Uniform dating website was launched in February 2004. The site, staffed largely by former members of the armed forces and emergency services, was set up following requests on the Military portal, www.modoracle.com, from UK troops posted overseas who were looking for 'something more than just a penpal'.
Since its launch in the UK, Uniform Dating sites have now been set up in USA, Canada and Australia, after troops from these countries spoke to their UK counterparts while serving alongside each other in areas such as Iraq and started joining the UK site.
For more contact: T 01737-222958 F 01737-226445 Uniform Dating NSI (Holdings) Ltd Unit 7 The Old Bakery South Road Reigate Surrey RH2-7LB
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