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NAVY NEWS, JULY 2011
Haslar medics reunited
THE first Royal Hospital Haslar Reunion was a sell-out, with 300 former Medical Branch ratings and QARNNS attending the weekend in Gosport, some meeting colleagues again for the first time in 45 years. The Haslar Heritage Group arranged guided tours around the hospital and its grounds, which were much enjoyed by the 180 or so who walked around their old haunts over two days of good weather. More than £3,200 was raised for Help for Heroes and £540 for St Dunstan’s. The 2012 reunion will be held over May Bank Holiday; details from david@sudcotes. karoo.co.uk, or David Rawson, RNH Haslar Reunion Organiser, 5 Savery St, Hull HU9 3BG.
10 x 10 = half a million calories
TEN cyclists took ten days to cycle from John O’Groats to Land’s End to raise money for the RNRMC. The ten, from HMS Bulwark, averaged around 100 miles a day (about eight hours in the saddle) every day to complete the challenge in the allotted time. Overcoming weather, hills, aching knees, punctures and a few (unplanned) dismounts, the cyclists reckoned as a team they burned off an incredible half a million calories. Sponsored by Babcock and the Donald Gosling Foundation, they stayed at fire stations, Army training camps and RNR establishments. The team have already raised £5,000 for the RNRMC and money is still coming in.
Matelots on the run
RUNNING one marathon is daunting enough, running ten marathons in ten days is entering the realms of Superman fantasies.
But Howard Clark achieved it, through gritted teeth, taped-up knees, swollen ankles and shin splints. Howard, a 40-year-old lieutenant commander serving in Bahrain, was one of 13 runners selected to take part in the Brathay Marathon Challenge, which involved running a marathon around Windermere every day for ten days. Early in the second marathon Howard suffered injuries that would have stopped any normal person in their tracks, but each day with support from his family, colleagues and a physio team, he shrugged off his pain to drag himself around the course again. Howard said: “It was truly unbelievable, a rollercoaster of emotion, days of pain, of anguish and exceedingly challenging. “Day five was an all-time low. I was spent, downtrodden, and
desperate. I never thought I could endure such pain from injuries, take my body to the absolute limit and survive, but I did.” Howard ran this challenge during two weeks leave from Bahrain, where he trained in hot, dusty conditions very different from those around the Westmorland lake. He has so far raised £4,000 for the Brathay Trust, the RNRMC and Help for Heroes. To donate, visit http:// uk.virginmoney.com / HowardClark and to read the full painful story see www.brathay windermeremarathon.org.uk / blog/howard-clark-10-in10.aspx There must be something about sailors and marathons. In Yeovilton, LAET Kevin ‘Kenny’ Downer, from 845 NAS, is really going to extremes in his marathon efforts. Not content with running four marathons in four days, Kenny, who is raising money for the RNRMC, intends to run one in the dark and one in a gas mask. He said: “One of the marathons
Have a ball for the RNBT THREE wives who wanted to keep themselves occupied while their other halves were away in HMS Albion are organising a charity ball in aid of the RNBT. Planned for August 12 in the Crownhill Family Centre in Plymouth, it will feature a hog roast, auction, general knowledge quiz and other fun events. Tickets cost £10 and you should contact Leanne Hall on 01752 651450 to apply, or visit Royal Naval Benevolent Trust Charity Ball on Facebook.
One final holiday for Ethan
O Howard Clark finishes his tenth and final marathon will be at night in recognition of the fact that my organisation, the Commando Helicopter Force, does a lot of work at night in operations in Afghanistan. “Another will be wearing a gas mask in tribute to the arduous conditions the Royal Marines find themselves experiencing on the ground out there.” Contributions to Kenny’s runs can be made via the website http : //uk.virginmoneygiving. com/kevindowney And at HMS Collingwood, PO Tony Bennett is training hard to run five marathons over the
course of the year. Tony, based in the Above Water Warfare Training Section, started with the Sussex Marathon in aid of H4H back in April. He said: “In my haste I signed up for the Sussex Marathon without even thinking to check the course. I am now aware the Sussex is upon the South Downs and I have really got to work on a bit of hill training...” Tony aims to complete his next four marathons in aid of the RNRMC – sponsor him at http:// u k .v i r g i n m o n eyg i v i n g .c o m / TonyBennett-H4H
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HALF-TIME in an exciting Leicester Tigers rugby match against Gloucester proved an ideal opportunity for Admiral Sir Trevor Soar, Commander-inChief Fleet, to publicise the work of the RNRMC and to receive a half-time presentation from the team’s chairman, Peter Tom. Admiral Soar was presented with a Tigers shirt and RM
In memory of Paul EVERY summer for the past three years, the Halesowen Cricket Club has played a match against the RN in memory of submariner Paul McCann, who died in HMS Tireless in 2007. This year the match will be on Sunday July 24. Paul’s parents set up a charity in his name to help needy children in the Midlands. They also hope to hold a Spring Ball in 2012. To find out more, visit the website on www.paulmccannfundforneedy children.com
NAVY wives and families have raised £1,000 to send two-yearold Ethan Hague to Euro Disney for a final holiday with his family. Ethan, the son of PO Simon Hague and his wife Nicola, was born with a very rare condition, Tay-Sachs disease, which affects the brain and spinal cord nerve cells. The average life-span for sufferers is five years. Military families who use the Radford Community Centre in Plymstock, Plymouth, raised the money through coffee mornings and cake-making. Nicola said: “As nothing can be done – there is no cure or treatment – we have been making life as comfortable for Ethan as possible. The point of the holiday is to take his brother, Callum, and give him a break. “All too often when there is a sibling needing extra attention, their brothers and sisters can feel they are losing out. “This will show him we still love him as much as ever and also we will have happy memories of a great holiday with his brother long after he passes away.” To donate to Ethan’s fund or the charity National Tay Sachs and Allied Diseases Association, visit ethansfund@live.co.uk and www.ntsad.org
Whirlwind fund-raiser SNOOKER legend Jimmy White visited the Gibraltar Squadron while he was raising funds for the local Childline charity – and raised around £7,000 playing against some of the best pool players the Rock could throw at him. Jimmy’s visit to the Squadron came at the invitation of CPO Ian ‘Muddy’ Waters, a lifelong fan of ‘The Whirlwind.’ With the main event over, Muddy offered to pay £100 to Childline for the privilege of playing pool against Jimmy (a match that Jimmy won – very easily) and invited him to visit the Squadron at their new Gun Wharf base –the unit has adopted Childline as their main charity.
Gunning for it
Commando top (pictured above), watched by members of the Royal Marines’ recruiting team who gave an abseiling display before the kick-off. Other members of the Naval Service were there in support, including injured members of Hasler Company and the Sea Cadets, who helped raise £5,811 for the RNRMC.
FORMER Field Gunner Nigel Ayling was planning to front up a charity field gun run in Portsmouth Naval Base on Armed Forces Days – June 25-26 – as Navy News went to press. Nigel, who’s been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, has set up a charity called Working Age Parkinsons, and is gathering about 40 ex-field gunners from all over the country to take part over the two days.
MEDICS, doctors and nurses currently based in Afghanistan are running from Bastion to Blighty – or at least, the equivalent distance, to raise money for service charities. And they are doing it the wrong way – their ‘route’ takes them to the bottom of Russia, they hang a right, and run to Vladivostok, row across to Canada, run to New York, row to Portugal, run up to the English Channel via Madrid and Paris then row to
Dover before a gentle trot back to Portsmouth – around 19,700 miles, all but the last ten miles to be done in their spare time when not on duty in Afghanistan. They are planning to cover the last ten miles back in Blighty – or to be exact, running to Portsmouth to finish at HMS Victory. See their website http:// u k .v i r g i n m o n eyg i v i n g .c o m / team/Bastion2Blighty for more details
Scenic route home
(Long distance) walkies!
PAUSING – or should that be pawsing? – for a brief rest on the lawns of Devonport, fundraiser Peter Almond and his springer spaniel met up with two Royal Marines from Hasler Company and puppies from the MOD Police Unit. Peter, a former defence correspondent, and his canine pal are walking from one end of the UK to the other for a new Armed Forces charity. Hounds for Heroes was set up by ex-senior rating Allen Parton to provide injured and disabled personnel with specially-trained dogs who can help their masters/mistresses in their everyday lives. Allen’s life was transformed by his first specialtrained assistance dog, Endal, and is now being helped by another, EJ – Endal Junior. The help the dogs provided, and the realisation
that other Service veterans faced the same difficulties, prompted Allen to help set up Hounds for Heroes. The charity aims to buy, train and support five dogs initially; it costs around £25,000 a year to train a dog the 50-plus commands and recognitions that allow it to provide care for injured Servicemen, from using a cash machine to putting their owner into a recovery position. Peter and Henry set off from Land’s End on May 8 (with a send-off from a 771 NAS Sea King), destination John O’Groats via a circuitous route of 1,300 miles and an estimated arrival date in October. Follow their progress – and support a worthy cause – via the aptly-named website www. henryandpetesverylongwalk.com. You can also follow them on Twitter at @HenryandPete