Hello,

Amy (also known as Commander Amy Gilmore MBE) was one of the warmest and most kind-hearted, adventurous, brave, generous, and inspiring people any of us have ever known. Driven by a deep sense of purpose, she served her country with distinction for over two decades. To know her, and to call her friend, was the most profound privilege.

We were devastated to lose Amy on 12th July 2025, after a long and courageous battle with cancer. She was forty-one years old. She is deeply missed every day by all of us - her husband, her sister, her nephew and niece, her many friends, colleagues and neighbours, and of course by her beloved Shackleton.

While we are heartbroken by the loss of her warmth, her humour, her endless optimism and kindness, and her extraordinary spirit, we are determined that her legacy will endure. Amy’s life was defined by a fierce, generous dedication to others. Now, it is our turn to carry that forward.

That is why, from the 16th to the 23rd of May 2026, a team of her friends, family, and shipmates will be taking on the “Be More Amy” South West Coastal Path Relay Challenge — walking and running the entire length of one of Britain’s most demanding and beautiful coastal paths, in her memory. Amy dreamed of completing the path herself. We will carry her in our hearts, and through this challenge, hopefully raise much-needed funds for four charities that were so important to her.

Can we raise £100 a mile - £63,000 in total - for four charities Amy cared deeply about?

We are going to give this everything we have! And we are so grateful for anything you can do to support.

About the challenge

Throughout her illness, Amy never stopped thinking about others. Even at the hardest moments, it was her work — supporting colleagues, championing welfare, advocating for those facing cancer — that gave her a sense of purpose and worth. Amy never did anything by halves. In 2022, while recovering from her initial diagnosis, she didn’t simply return to the outdoor, adventurous life she loved — she drove herself harder than most ever do, completing a full Ironman to an impressive time, and using that feat to raise thousands of pounds for the cancer charities that had supported her. That was Amy: finding a way to turn her own pain into something that helped others.

Now, we are picking up the baton. The South West Coastal Path is no small undertaking — it will demand everything we have. But whenever we hit a steep climb or a punishing stretch of headland, we will remind ourselves to “Be More Amy”: to push through with her trademark grit, her lightness of spirit, and her conviction that hard things are worth doing.

We aim to raise £63,000 for four charities:

Breast Cancer Now — When Amy received her initial diagnosis, Breast Cancer Now helped her family navigate the immense and disorienting shift that such news brings. Their resources and guidance provided clarity and reassurance at a moment when everything felt uncertain.

Make 2nds Count — After two years of remission, Amy’s cancer returned as a stage 4 diagnosis. Make 2nds Count was vital during this stage, supporting access to new and innovative treatments. Amy was passionate about championing their work, so that others could benefit as she had.

Weldmar Hospice — As Amy entered palliative care, Weldmar Hospice provided compassionate, dignified, and deeply humane support in a beautiful and peaceful setting. They made an unbearably difficult time more bearable for everyone who loved her.

Military vs Cancer — A small but powerful charity supporting serving personnel and their families at every stage of a cancer diagnosis. Amy knew this community intimately and cared deeply about it. Their work deserves to be far better known.

Every penny raised will go directly to these four organisations that were there for Amy and her family when it mattered most.

About Amy

Amy Francesca Gilmore joined the Royal Navy in 2002 as a University Cadet Entrant, later graduating from Oxford University before beginning her career at sea as a Warfare Officer. From the outset she displayed the qualities that would define her life and career: quiet determination, natural leadership, and a genuine care for the people around her.

Her early service included appointments in HMS Iron Duke and HMS Ark Royal, where she earned a reputation as a dependable Officer of the Watch and a trusted teammate. Seeking new challenges, Amy later transferred to the Fleet Air Arm, qualifying as an Observer and serving on Lynx and then Wildcat helicopters. In the aircraft she acted as mission commander, working alongside the pilot while managing sensors, navigation, and operational decision making, often in complex and demanding environments.

One of the defining periods of Amy’s career came during the 2017 hurricane season in the Caribbean. Serving as Flight Commander during Operation RUMAN, she and her crew were among the first to reach devastated communities following Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Faced with scenes of widespread destruction, Amy helped lead life saving missions, delivering urgent supplies, evacuating casualties, and rescuing survivors from dangerous situations at sea. Her leadership, judgement, and calmness under pressure were recognised with a Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service.

Further recognition followed when she was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire for her work introducing new weapon capabilities to the Wildcat helicopter force, ensuring they could be safely and effectively brought into operational service. Later, returning to her warfare roots, Amy served as Operations Officer in HMS Queen Elizabeth, where colleagues recall that alongside her professional excellence she was always willing to go the extra mile to support those around her.

Across the Fleet Air Arm and the wider Royal Navy, Amy became known not only as an outstanding officer but as someone people naturally gravitated toward. She combined professionalism with warmth and humour, making teams stronger simply by being part of them. Junior sailors and officers found in her a mentor who gave time generously, listened carefully, and quietly helped others succeed.

Away from work, Amy embraced life with the same energy she brought to her career. She loved the outdoors and thrived on adventure, enjoying climbing, skiing, cycling, and endurance challenges. With her husband Steve, also a naval officer, and their much loved dog Shackleton, she made the most of the friendships and opportunities that Service life brought.

Even during a long and difficult battle with cancer, Amy’s determination and spirit never faded. She continued to inspire those around her through her courage, humour, and refusal to let illness define her. Family, friends and colleagues remember her resilience, her generosity, and the way she continued to look out for others even during her own hardest moments.

Amy is remembered as an exceptional naval officer, a loyal friend, a devoted wife, daughter, sister and auntie, and one of those rare people who leaves every place better for having been there. Her legacy lives on in the many lives she influenced, the people she supported, and the example she set of leadership, kindness, and strength.

How You Can Help

Donate: Any contribution — large or small — will make a real difference. During her lifetime, Amy raised tens of thousands of pounds for charity, often while facing her own hardest moments. Every donation to this challenge goes directly to the causes she cared about most, ensuring that her commitment to supporting others continues to have an impact long after her death.

Share: Please share this campaign with your networks — on social media, by email, or simply by word of mouth. Spreading the word costs nothing and can make an enormous difference to how far we reach.

Get Involved: Whether you want to join us on a leg of the relay, or simply cheer us along between the 16th and 23rd of May 2026, we would love to have you with us. You can find out more about the route and how to sign up at bemoreamy.com.

Amy was always a source of light for the people around her: funny, generous, kind, compassionate, and genuinely interested in the lives of others. She left every place — every ship, every deployment, every room she walked into — better for having been there. Though she is no longer with us, the community of friends, family, and colleagues she built remains. Let’s come together once more, in her name, to carry her spirit forward.

Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for reading Amy’s story — and for any ways you are able to support this cause.