18 NAVY NEWS, FEBRUARY 2009
Bulwark’s in
BRNC opens
charity chest
AS THE last days of 2008 drew
to a close, money raised by Offi cer
Cadets at Britannia Royal Naval
College was distributed among lo-
good voice
cal charities.
Thirteen different organisa-
tions benefited from shares of the
£4,332.61 raised by cadets over
the past term.
CO Cdre Jake Moores said:
“Each term the college opens its
charity chest and makes donations.
Many of the fundraising activities
IT WOULDN’T be Christmas
undertaken by the cadets require
without a bit of snow.
them to use their initiative, leader-
Okay, so normally it’s blowing a
ship and teamworking skills.”
hoolie and chucking it down over
Beneficiaries include: Calvert
● Cdr Mike Goldthorpe and supporters Picture: Cpl Ralph Merry RAF
the festive season.
Trust; Children’s Hospice South
Clocking up
But just for once, the gods
West; Dartmouth Hospital;
were kind and the snow fell
1st Dartmouth Scout Group;
upon amphibious flagship HMS
Dartmouth Caring; Townstal
Bulwark as she hosted a unique
Action Group for Children; Bidwell
Christmas carol concert.
Brook School; the Dartmouth
Rock miles
With 2008 drawing to a close,
Christmas Illuminations; Guide
the assault ship headed to North
Dogs for the Blind; Shelterbox
Shields on the Tyne to visit her
UK; RBL; SSAFA; and Help for
affiliates. (Although some of her
Heroes.
DECEMBER brought a challenge to Cdr Mike Goldthorpe of Head-
company chose a slightly different
quarters British Forces in Gibraltar – he climbed the equivalent height
means of transport – more later.)
appeals
of Mount Everest scaling to the top of the Rock 21 times, some 9,030
Bulwark is bonded with the
metres.
County of Durham and as she
to you

Mike said: “One in two men is affected at some time or another by
cannot reach the county town, the
prostate cancer. And this was my own mountain to climb, my own way
mountain came to Mohammed.
of putting something back into the two charities which helped me when
More than 400 guests from
■ A GROUP of bikers braved the
I needed it.”
across the county gathered in
winter chill to raise awareness
Mike has raised £5,000 for each of two charities for their support in
the ship’s vehicle deck, normally special needs of the school’s Lt Dave Lee – running 192 miles
of Push for Freedom, an
his recover: Prostate UK and the Prostate Cancer Charity.
home to Royal Marines and all pupils, will be in service shortly. (the circumference of the county)
organisation set up by former
On his final ascent of the Rock on December 18, Mike was joined by
their kit, for the service led by the “We have a special relationship on the ship’s running machines,
and current service personnel,
over 20 colleagues and friends who climbed with him to the top of Med
Right Reverend Dr Tom Wright, and friendship with Trinity School mostly...
dedicated to helping injured
Steps, where they held a raffle as a final act towards his fundraising.
Lord Bishop of Durham. and we couldn’t be more pleased The last three miles were
servicemen and women with
His son, Dr Julian Wright, to ‘top off’ the bid for a minibus. run for real into Durham city
their social and recreational
Hats off to Peaks race
co-coordinated the music and We look forward to hearing of the centre by members of the ship’s
needs.
kindly offered Durham singers to children’s exploits and travels,” company – including the ship’s
They are planning a number
add much needed gravitas and said PO Mike Hopwood, the new commanding officer Capt
of events to raise funds for the
SAILORS from HMS Sultan limit, Lt Tom Dorman, Lt Mark
harmony to the sailors and Royal liaison officer for the affiliation Wayne Keble – where cyclists and
non-profit organisation to pass
doffed a variety of headgear while Collins, CPO Dicky Byers,
Marines’ enthusiastic efforts. with the school. runners met up for the final mile.
on to those it wants to help.
raising money for people with S/Lt Jim Aston, Lt Paul Bastiaens,
“The carol service was without And those who chose a different The leader of Durham County
During D-Day anniversary week,
learning disabilities and tackling PO ‘Tyne’ Weir and LMEA Ben
doubt an incarnational moment means of transport? Well, the Council, Cllr Len O’Donnell, said:
a 150-mile hand/bicycle ride will
the Three Peaks Challenge. Russell just scraped in with a total
in the history of this complex Royal Marines, of course. “These two tremendous fund-
take place in Normandy. And
Within the 24-hour time time of 23 hours 41 minutes, rais-
ship, and an occasion of grace Thirteen members of the ship’s raising efforts are typical of the
members of the team will attempt
ing £371 for Hamilton House’s
that offered a brief oasis in a assault squadron 4ASRM chose activities through which the ship
to kayak across the Channel
Jungly jolly
charitable trust fund.
busy but rewarding programme,” to cycle the 495 miles from the has raised thousands of pounds
starting from Portsmouth’s
Lt Dorman said: “We kept a
said Bulwark’s chaplain Rev Mike ship’s home port of Devonport to for its adopted charities.”
D-Day Museum.
good sense of humour through-
Hills. Durham. At a reception on board ship
For further information and
JUNGLY Sea King squadron 845
out, as we wore our silly sum-
The ship counts Durham Stopping at various towns and Cllr O’Donnell presented the
to get involved, visit www.
NAS enjoyed the festive spirit to
mit hats at the top of each peak
County, the Bishop of Durham, cities along the way during their ship with the Chairman’s Medal
push2freedom.co.uk.
hold an evening’s entertainment
for team photographs. It certainly
Forest of Teesdale Primary eight-day journey, the cyclists in recognition of its fundraising
■ A COLLECTION point for used
in aid of the Guide Dogs for the
brought some laughter from the
School, Trinity School (Durham), scoured the municipalities for efforts, the highest honour in its
stamps has been set up at the MT
Blind and Help for Heroes.
other climbers, and helped bring
Harbour Lodge Care Home donations, collecting some adopted county.
Ops Garage in Portsmouth Naval
The evening with a Grand
a sense of fun in what were grim
(Durham), Aycliffe Young £10,000 for Help for Heroes. And finally, running is a popular
Base. Old stamps will be turned
Christmas Draw at Yeovil Town
weather conditions for this ardu-
Offenders Institute (Durham), Mne Luke Salter said: “I lost fundraising theme on board the
into funds for the Naomi House
Football Club raised £516.80 for
ous and physically demanding
numerous Cadet Forces and two friends in Afghanistan: Scotty assault ship.
Children’s Hospice. If cutting
both charities.
challenge.”
Bishop Auckland Hospital among Summer in Op Herrick 5 and Josh Mark Ramage ‘press-ganged’
out the stamps, please leave the
Days earlier the CO of the
Lt Collins, whose wife Jenni is
her affiliah tes. Howell in Op Herrick 6. I am 45 of his shipmates, including
stamp intact with a border around
Commando Helicopter Force,
staff nurse at Hamilton House,
For Trinity School, the carol doing this for them, and to raise the ship’s then CO Capt Jeremy
it. Send contributions to: Jill
Col John McCardle, presented
added: “Most of us had been
sers vice was particularly special awareness for the lads out there Blunden and chaplain Rev Tim
Bennett, MT Admin, MT Garage
a cheque for £838 to Help for
doing field gun training anyway,
as the ship gaa ve the final £800 serving at the moment.” Wilkinson, to complete a fancy
Building 3/5, PP44, HM Naval
Heroes.
and we’d also taken part in the
required to br uy a new minibus for Meanwhile on board the assault dress run of 15 laps around the
Base Portsmouth, PO1 3HH.
Liz Cobbett, who works with
MS Challenge in the summer, so
their children.t ship, sailors and Marines undertook upper deck for Sport Relief,
■ FUTURE Naval officer Andy
CHF, said: “The Junglies have
were quite a fit team to start with.
The minibus, adapted for the a different challenge organised by netting £167 for the cause.
Bailey, who currently works at
raised a considerable amount of
But it was still hard work, made
Agusta Westland in Yeovil, has
money for a variety of charities
worse by wind and rain.
taken an unusual approach to
over the years, but as three of our
“We couldn’t take that many
improving his fitness before
four Naval Air Squadrons that
photographs because the camera
arriving at Britannia Royal Naval
make up CHF are currently sta-
got waterlogged...”
College.
tioned in Afghanistan, we thought
He plans to cycle 4,000km
the Help for Heroes campaign was
solo across Australia from
very appropriate.” Juno in
Sydney to Perth, raising
The money was raised dur-
money for UNICEF. You can
ing the annual CHF Families
track his progress at www.
Day at their home base of RNAS flight
sydney-to-perth-2009.blogspot.
Yeovilton.
com, or pledge your support
Meanwhile elsewhere in
by writing to: AWASA, Box 97,
FORMER Naval man Peter
Yeovilton, the base’s CO Cdre
AgustaWestland, Lysander
Sherston-Baker was one of 12
Chris Palmer formally opened the
Road, Yeovil, Somerset, BA20
ex-Servicemen, all of whom
new Haven community room at
2YB.
are missing a limb, who raced
the Tall Trees community centre.
from the Cape Verde Islands to
■ A BLACK Tie Ball is being
The commodore thanked the
Bridgetown, Barbados.
arranged for March 29 at the Royal
Royal British Legion for the dona-
The amputees were crewing
Marines Museum in Southsea in
tion of £2,500 and the Debut
aid of Help for Heroes. Tickets
Community Team for the new
the Spirit of Juno in the Ondeck
cost £45 each, and music will be
bright and functional meeting
Transatlantic Race, on behalf of
provided by the Royal Marines
place for the community.
BLESMA (the British Limbless
Ex-Service Man’s Association).
Dance Band. Tickets are available
from palmereventsplanning@
Punching high
Ernie Stables of the charity said:
“Events of this nature are of great
hotmail.com.
importance to the rehabilitation of ■ THE Mission to Seafarers has
THE two halves of the country our members as they place both
announced the return of the Tour
were united by the commanding physical and mental demands on
Pour La Mer 2009 in September
offi cer of HMS Puncher, Lt Tim them.
this year. Five hundred riders
Leeder, and his wife Dr Mad- “We strive to prove that
will ride from Antwerp to
elaine Hopwood, who together no challenge is beyond their
Amsterdam, via Rotterdam,
ran both the Great North and the capabilities following their horrific
with all money raised going to
Great South Runs to raise funds injuries.”
the seafarers’ charity. If you’re
for the RNLI. As his boat began to close on
interested in taking part, visit
Lt Leeder said: “The weather its target, Peter sent this message
www.tourpourlamer.com.
● HMS Ark Royal’s CO Capt John Clink sees off the Magnifi cent Seven riders: PO Garry Holgate, WO1
could not have been more of a back to the UK: “We are fast
Paddy Lecky, MAA Joe South, CPO Nick Downs, PO Robbie Robertson, LET Mike Lucas and LAH Jessie
■ FORMER LREM and ship’s
contrast. The hard undulating approaching Barbados now with
James; supported by CPO Jim Philips and AH James Arrowsmith Picture: Gregg Macready
diver Malcolm ‘Maggie’ Lockwood,
course of Newcastle and South 160 miles left to run.
veteran of HMS Agincourt, Tiger
Shields brought with it a scorcher, “Last night the Atlantic showed
making hydration and continual us its teeth again with squalls and
water intake essential. heavy seas forcing us to bear north.
Ark basks in magnificence
and Eskimo, has burst into song
along with his compatriots at the
Kidderminster Male Choir in
“The beautiful south course Juno had a tango with a ship that support of Help for Heroes. The
was run in torrential wind and passed in the night – lights were WHEN carrier HMS Ark Royal set out to Gibraltar carrier life in favour of fundraising for the Royal choir has released a CD Songs for
rain; I am sure trying to make up seen and evasive action taken! last year, her motorcycle club set out to make British Legion’s Poppy Appeal. Heroes, which includes tracks that
for the fact that it is almost com- “Dolphins appeared yesterday. the 1,600-mile journey through southern France, Despite November weather and mechanical refl ect the three Services as well as
pletely flat.” Morale is high, the sky is blue and over the Pyrenees and through Spain to meet breakdown, the bikers completed their odyssey to more traditional offerings. Each
Adorned in the colours of wind-speed is 22 knots.” their ship. meet the ship in Gibraltar at the end of eight days. CD costs £10, and is available
RNLI, the officer and his wife Find out more on the BLESMA The ‘Magnificent Seven’ bikers and their two Their efforts and endurance netted some £3,000 from their website at www.
raised over £1,000. website www.blesma.org. support crew chose to spurn the comforts of for the RBL. kidderminstermalechoir.co.uk.
0016-019_NN_feb09.indd 316-019_NN_feb09.indd 3 119/1/09 18:11:189/1/09 18:11:18
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