A Penparcau man who left school at 16 to join the Royal Navy as a trainee cook has been promoted to Commander and put in charge of the navy’s reserve training centre.

Cdr Stephen Grayson left Penglais School’s fifth form in Aberystwyth in 1984 after attending primary school in Penparcau to join straight up with the Royal Navy.

Cdr Grayson, who has now had a 37-year career in the navy, has been promoted to Commander during a small handing over ceremony.

The 54-year-old has been put in charge of the Royal Navy Reserve Training Centre at HMS Sherwood in Nottingham as its Commanding Officer.

Cdr Grayson, who grew up in Heol-y-Garth in Penparcau, now lives in Sheffield with his wife Sue and their Welsh Springer Spaniel, Taffy.

His mother, Gwyneira, now lives in Borth, with other family members also in north Ceredigion.

Cdr Grayson, who said he still keeps close links with Aberystwyth and all his old school friends, said the promotion was “a great honour.”

“I’m hugely excited and very, very proud,” he said.

“If I look at where I came from when I joined the Navy in 1984 as a junior assistant cook, when all I wanted to do was get through the day without cutting my fingers, and now I find myself taking charge of a Naval Reserve Unit.

“I have huge admiration for the fact that the unit manage to hold down professional careers and a career in the Reserves.

“I am immensely proud and super excited.”

Cdr Grayson’s last role in the regular navy was as the Unit Operations Officer at HMS Forward.

He had previously served as the Executive Officer for more than two years at HMS Sherwood before being promoted to Commanding Officer.

He is the 14th man to hold the post of Commanding Officer at the Royal Navy Reserve Training Centre at HMS Sherwood since the first was appointed in 1950.