NAVY NEWS, SEPTEMBER 2006
A FORCE FOR GOOD
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Quorn climbers undaunted by ankle bashing
" A GANG of communityspirited Royal Naval Reservists from HMS King Alfred in Portsmouth, led by Lt Ben Howard, helped parish priest Father Ron Robinson relocate four sheds, full of community goodies, to free up the land for sale. Income from the land sale will go towards the construction of a brand new community hall. CPO R Craig said: "It needed a big team effort, and everyone did a great job lifting and shifting together." " A GROUP of sailors from HMS Collingwood helped improve the grounds at Harrison County Primary School in Fareham. For one day the team carried out gardening work on an overgrown garden built in memory of a former pupil. Gill Mist, a teaching assistant at the school, said: "I can't believe what a difference they've made. The place is looking fantastic." " THE SERGEANTS' Mess at the Commando Training Centre at Lympstone has gathered £600 for the Devon Air Ambulance Trust. Mess members raised the money when they hosted fathers (and in some cases, sons) for a weekend of military awareness. WO Ed Stout said: "The weekend went really well. We often forget the support we get from our dads, so it felt good to give them something back for a change."
" HMS Bulwark's field gun runners tackle an unusual mile run for Sport Relief
THERE have been several groups from the Navy who have gone that extra mile and organised their own event for Sport Relief. While thousands of Britons take up the run-a-mile for charity challenge on dry land, the sailors have been rallying to the cause while on patrol out at sea or many metres below the waves. HMS Bulwark decided to raise money while the ship was at sea on deployment in the Mediterranean by means of a field gun contest. All the teams paid an entry fee and spectators provided sponsorship while the sailors competed on the flight deck. The ship's Commanding Officer Capt Clive Johnstone said: "The Sport Relief mile concept really caught the imagination of the ship's company who came up with the idea of running a field gun competition. "I am not aware of it having been run at sea before." LMEM Paul 'Gunta' Batten of HMS Westminster ran his mile for Sport Relief with a slight difference. Due to the fact that he is currently 4,000 miles from home in the Gulf, he could not take part in one of the organised runs in the UK. So Paul decidedto run his Sport Relief mile around the upper deck
" HMS GANNET helped a team of former Royal Scots Dragoon Guards to conquer the three highest peaks in Scotland, England and Wales in less than 24 hours. The inspiring skirl of the pipes and the pleasant summer weather boosted the walkers' morale when three pipers from the regimental pipe band, just home from Iraq, were flown by a Naval Sea King helicopter from Gannet SAR Flight at Prestwick to the summit of Ben Nevis. The walkers raised almost £20,000 for a new regimental museum and Cancer Research UK.
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Picture: LA(Phot) Pepe Hogan
Navy prove good sports
" OFFICERS and trainees oftraining establishment HMS Raleigh have helped out in Churchtown, the respite and care holiday centre for adults and children. The young officers donned their working rig to cut down nettles and clear an overgrown area for an obstacle course, while the trainees were busy using their gardening skills in sprucing up the flowerbeds and greenhouses. The young officers also set themselves the challenge of fundraising for new garden tools through a charity cake and coffee event. S/Lt Emily Slayman said: "When touring HMS Raleigh with out tray of cakes, we raised a phenomenal £90."
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of HMS Westminster - wearing a full outfit of firefighting clothing and breathing apparatus. Swaddled in this extra weight, and with a roasting temperature of 37CC, the run was completed in a time of just under ten minutes - a remarkable feat and raising just over 1,000. Sister frigates HMS Kent and Northumberland also set up their own DIY miles. Back on land, Fareham establishment HMS Collingwood got involved with a one-mile fun run. Personnel were invited to wear fancy dress and had the choice of running, jogging or walking the course. Gorillas, belly dancers, Super Woman and sailors were amongst those who took part. Unusual outfits were also the order of the day at BRNC in Dartmouth, with among others two lads running in chemical suits in blazing July sunshine. Monies raised totalled over £300. Air establishment HMS Seahawk in Cornwall didn't miss out on the fundraising event. More than two thirds of the 150-strong crew of HMS Vigilant were also found running their mile in what is, undoubtedly, one of the world's most unusual sporting arenas. Beneath the waves on running machines, the submariners notched up their miles for the sporting charity.
Lt Paul Goscomb of HMS Ark Royal put a smile on everyone's face when he took part in the 70 Wild Miles, running the last section dressed as Batman, fully kitted out with padded chest and cape. The race was started in 1989 by a few very enthusiastic individuals, and consists of a 47-mile cycle ride, 10-mile canoe followed by a 13-mile road run in Glencoe, Scotland. Cdr Dave Gibson and Lt Doug Wyle from Yeovilton also took part, and loaned Paul a canoe (and lessons!) for the challenge. Paul completed the race in 6 hours and 29 minutes and said: "I was conscious of burning out on the run, which was rumoured to be a bit of a beast. "But eventually you have to push through the discomfort, after all I was wearing a super hero outfit and there was no way he was walking uphill - a wonderful if not tiring experience." Over £600 was raised for CLIC Sargent.
EIGHT of HMS Quorn's crew have completed the challenge of climbing the three highest peaks in the UK in less than 24 hours, in aid of the Royal British Legion. The climbers started with the - Ben Nevis - followed highest by Scafell Pike (Lake District) and finally finishing in Snowdon (North Wales). The team consisted of five runners and three drivers and support crew, as important as the runners as to the success of the event. Quorn's team was one of 52 teams from the Armed Forces, Police, several Fire Brigades and other organisations. Each team started its assent on Ben Nevis one June evening, making its way through the summit of ice and snow which was still present even at this time of year. Just when they were making fantastic progress in their descent, they suffered the first casualty of the event with Lt Ash Spencer turning his ankle over on the final leg of the journey. Fighting through the pain Ash carried on and the team finished in a time of 3 hours 12 minutes. Unfortunately for Ash this was the end of his Three Peaks challenge as the injury he sustained to his ankle was too serious to carry on. After a quick re-fuel they then headed south, leaving behind Ben Nevis and its notorious midges to their next goal. CPOWEA Andy Whitehouse said, "With great spirit and determination the team set about the final mountain with newfound vigour."
On arrival in Llanberis the team received gold medals, with a very creditable final time of 18 hours 15 minutes for a total finishing place of eleventh out of a total 52 teams. In conjunction with the other charity events, the team managed to raise a staggering £1,000.
Monkey business in destroyer
SOME £1,500 has been donated to an oncology ward at Southampton General Hospital and Cancer Research UK, by way of 'Vidal Baboon' barbers on board HMS Southampton. The money was raised over the course of a year, cutting hair at £3 per mane, with almost 300 heads scalped, and over 100 hours 'butchering' (or beautifying) the hair of sailors whilst deployed. Other events such as mess raffles and auctions took place whereby companies and other organisations donated items and merchandise. CPOWEA 'Rattler' Morgan (Vidal Baboon himself), whose father died of lung cancer, and whose mother-in-law is also affected by cancer, said: "Southampton General Hospital C7 ward was chosen because I have spent many, many hours sat in there and seen at firsthand the dedication of the staff."