28 NAVY NEWS, MAY 2009
Staying
The pikeman cometh
Pretty in
with
COLLINGWOOD had a visit by a 17-Century whole of my career, even as far as working up in
pikeman when CPO Malcolm Cray turned up at the the northern Arabian Gulf, I’ve never sustained any
Portland
Maritime Warfare School in his full attire to promote injury. Unfortunately there are those who have.
his John O’Groats charity walk in aid of Help for “Collecting for Help for Heroes is my way of DESPITE being away from the
SSAFA
Heroes. acknowledging their sacrifice.” UK for eight months, the entire
Malcolm retires from the Navy this month and So far Malcolm has raised £2,292.16, £900 of female portion of the crew of frigate
plans to celebrate his retirement by walking the that from Collingwood alone – but his aim is to raise HMS Portland have committed to
length of Britain in his full 17th-Century rig. £10,000. supporting the Race for Life.
He expects the walk to take 75 days, walking 15 Malcolm sets out on the 17th of this month, and you The women, who number 32
SSAFA has recently opened miles each day, with a Help for Heroes flag on the can follow his progress on www.thecharitypikeman. on board, decided en masse to
its second home near Selly end of his pike. blogspot.com or pledge your support at www. take part in the three-mile run in
Oak’s Royal Centre for Defence Malcolm said: “I’ve been fortunate that in the justgiving.com/pikeman. aid of Breast Cancer Research.
Medicine; a partner for its Which in their case will involve
Norton House, Headley Court,
Wives risk
22 laps of the upper deck in
near the Defence Medical temperatures probably rather
Rehabilitation Centre. warmer than their counterparts
Both homes offer a place
a wetting
I’d rather shave
in the UK.
to stay for relatives of injured The ship’s PTi, LPT Jules
Service men and women being Stroud, has been putting the
treated at Headley Court or women through their paces with
Birmingham.
for H4H
a demanding training programme
OM Liam Clyde suffered a to get them at their best for the
car crash in February 2007, race.
which left him with a broken
THIS month some 40 women
Although some of the runners
hip, a badly fractured leg and
– wives or family of Royal Navy
have decided to make the task that
head injuries.
and Royal Marine personnel living
bit more difficult by skipping, or
Liam has recently started the
around Plymouth – are tackling a
my eyeballs...
running three-legged.
slow process of rehabilitation at
wet and wild assault course in aid
Organiser CPO Ali James said:
Headley Court.
of Help for Heroes.
“As a group of females we were
While treated at home in
Colette Wilson explained: “We
disappointed that being away from
Doncaster, his family were able
THERE’S something
all know each other because we
the UK for eight months meant
to see him most days, but the
live on the same married quarter
admirably frank about that we could not do our bit for
move to Surrey has meant that
estate, so we use the same
someone who admits: Breast Cancer Research.
the SSAFA Norton House at
community centre and preschool.
“I’d rather shave my own
“I decided that we ought to try
Headley Court has proven a
“The idea started when a few
eyeballs than run another
to do something in our own way –
lifeline to Liam’s family.
of the husbands went away to marathon.”
and this is the result.
His father George said: “The
Afghanistan, which brought to Admittedly that negative reaction
“The girls have trained hard for
house is excellent. It is at least
light the Help for Heroes charity. to the marathon from CPO Nobby
the event and we hope that we are
a four-hour journey each way.
“We decided we wanted to do Clarke is compounded by running
able to raise a substantial amount
“Liam is only at the
something a bit different to help in full combat gear, with combat
of money for this very worthwhile
assessment stage at Headley
and came up with the idea of an boots, and bergens bursting at
cause.”
and we have already stayed
assault course.” more than 15kg weight. In the
If you would like to pledge your
at the house twice and been
Once that idea had taken heat of Cyprus.
support, visit www.justgiving.
made to feel really welcome.
root, Colette got in touch with Nobby, who is part of the Joint
com/hmsportlandpretties
“It is a lovely place, and in
the months to come having
some outdoor adventure centres Service Signal Unit Cyprus, took
somewhere like this will be
seeking their help in tackling the on the challenge to uphold the
really important to us to help us
challenge. honour of the Senior Service.
● Cpl Adam Fear (RS), Capt Paul Whillis (RS), Cpl Paul Cardall (RS),
support Liam.”
She said: “Mountain Water He explained: “In November
Cpl Lee Halsall (RS) WO1 Jim Reeves (RS), Cpl Steve Jones RAF, Cpl
Mne Mark Ormrod lost
Experience in Kingsbridge got 2008, Cpl Adam Fear ran the
Kai Phillips (RS), Sgt Robbo Robson (RS), CPO(CT) Nobby Clarke
both legs and his right arm
back to me and offered us free use Amathunta half-marathon in
and Sgt Paul Bone (RS)
after a landmine explosion in
of their assault course, zip-wire, Cyprus wearing CS95, combat
Afghanistan on Christmas Eve
boots and bergen.
volunteers from all three Services only casualty – Cpl Paul Cardall
climbing wall and crate-stacking
2007.
“Having destroyed his feet for
to tackle the distance. (Royal Signals) whose feet had
facilities, in which we will compete
He, along with his fiancée
this relatively short distance he
Nobby continued: “I, as an RN ‘exploded’ at 10km but he had
in teams against each other.”
Becky and other family
decided that it would be yet more
CPO(CT), realised that anything managed to soldier on (no pun
If you would like to pledge
members, was the first
fun if he completed the Paphos
the Army could do, I could do intended) for a further 16km
your support send a cheque
serviceman to stay at SSAFA’s
marathon in the same attire.”
better – and with more style. before succumbing to the pain.”
for Help for Heroes to Colette
Headley Court home.
But not content with this, the
“So along with eight others I Despite the constant headwind
Wilson, Radford Family Centre,
Becky said: “The house is
Army’s Cpl Fear decided to lay
decided to pick up the gauntlet and the heat, the remaining
Stokingway Close, Plymstock,
down the challenge, looking for
that had been thrown down.” competitors got through to the
really a great place.
Plymouth PL9 9JL.
Twelve weeks of training end, where they were welcomed by
“It allowed us to have some
ensued, before the starting line 26 other members of JSSU who had
quiet time on our own but also
miles from Paphos. taken part in the half marathon
to meet and speak with others
“The sun was beating down, and the 10km run.
in a similar situation.
the wind was blowing a gale in Nobby added: “This was an
“It can be such a huge help
our faces, and the start was at incredibly rewarding challenge to
at a very difficult time. The staff
the bottom of a hill. In short take part in and one that I would
at the house are amazing and
everything that a naval athlete definitely recommend to others.
do a wonderful job.”
dreams of...” “Personally I would rather
● Lt Cdr Sharky Finn
The SSAFA Norton House at
It quickly became clear at the shave my eyeballs than do another
Selly Oak opened in February
1km mark that the team of ten marathon, but I will gladly
this year, and offers a home
were not going to be able to stick donate to someone else’s chosen
for the families being treated at
together for the duration of the charity.”
marathon. The charity chosen by the
Marathon
the Birmingham Royal Centre
for Defence Medicine (RCDM) –
“The racing snake form of Capt Paphos runners was Help for
the first port-of-call for injured
Paul ‘I throw nutty bars at Mister Heroes, as several members of
personnel returning to the UK.
T’ Whillis of the Royal Signals the unit have received treatment mission
Lt Col Phil Carter Royal Army
was already making some serious from Headley Court, and a large
Medical Corps, commanding
headway through the rest of the proportion of the RAF Regiment THE streets of London are being
officer of the RCDM clinical
runners,” said Nobby, who was in were either deployed or about to pounded by the footfalls of many
unit, said: “The SSAFA House
second place. go on operations. Navy folk as Navy News goes to
at Headley Court has proved
Hair-raising antics
“At the halfway point, the pack To date the JSSU runners have press.
a great success. The new
had spread out even further and netted 1,500 Euros (£1,337) for Another RN man taking on
house here in Birmingham will
at 26km we suffered our first and the charity’s funds. April’s London Marathon is Lt Cdr
augment our existing families’
‘Sharky’ Finn, the commanding
accommodation, providing
at Collingwood
officer of 771 NAS, who is putting
that much-needed home from
Dauntless diggers
his body through the challenge in
home that allows families to
aid of the RNLI.
concentrate on supporting their
Even during the squadron’s
loved ones through the early ‘AS mad as a March hare’ has been reinterpreted by Rowan’s Hospice
recent Clockwork deployment
phases of recovery. in Portsmouth which benefi ted from the madness of staff at HMS
THE new Type 45’s crew spent introduction of livestock.
to Norway, Sharky kept up his
“Families arrive with us, Collingwood who dressed their hair differently for Mad March Hair
some time at their adopted city of The farm’s Mandy Oliver said:
training regime, despite the chilly
sometimes only hours after Day.
Newcastle cleaning up the city’s “It really is wonderful to have the
external temperature of –20°C.
they have been told about their Stewards working in the wardroom got some strange looks from
parklands. Royal Navy here to help.
Sharky’s goal is to raise
loved one’s injuries, and to be officers as one donned a bright pink wig and another a long black one.
Forty of HMS Dauntless’ “Just one day will make all
£3,000 for the RNLI, and due
welcomed and looked after is a Chaplain Janice Pettipher charged colleagues £1 to bedeck her hair in
company worked with residential the difference and I can’t thank
to generosity of local organisation
crucial part of how we care for a riot of multi-coloured ribbons.
groups and the council’s HMS Dauntless enough – it will
and people has already raised
them. SSAFA Norton House will The day, which had support from RN, civilian and VT Flagship staff
Neighbourhood Response Team be so good to see sheep and goats
almost £2,000.
help us do that.” at the training base, netted £97 for the hospice which offers palliative
to clean up green spaces and public grazing on the fields again, the
If you wish to pledge your
The name of the homes care to people in Portsmouth and south-east Hampshire.
footpaths in the Byker area. first time since 2002.”
support contact Kat Cartlidge at
recognises Major Peter Norton
They also brought back to life The ratings and officers are
771 NAS on 01326 552670.
GC, who was seriously injured
in Iraq in 2005. He was initially And Open Day boon
benches and park seating in the already looking forward to bringing
city’s Leazes Park; and readied the ship herself up the Tyne once
treated at an American facility
the city’s Ouseburn Farm for the she enters service.
Paintcrew
in Germany with his family
staying at a nearby house run
for old folks
Clyde for CHAS
SAILORS from Culdrose picked
by a US charity. up their paintbrushes and tools
On his return to the UK for
COLLINGWOOD’S Lt Kevin Miller paid a surprise visit to Langdale
to complete the refurbishment
two more years of treatment,
Nursing Home to donate £200 raised at last year’s Collingwood Open
TWELVE cyclists from Clyde Naval Base will be climbing upon their
of a community centre near
his wife struggled to find similar
Day.
saddles to pedal 450 miles northeast to Aberdeen, then south to Rosyth,
Truro.
facilities for families with young
Tammy Kent, the home’s activity therapist, said: “The money will be
then back to their homebase of Neptune as Navy News goes to press.
PO Andy Wilkinson led a
children in Britain and later
greatly appreciated.
team from the Maritime Aviation
helped spearhead the SSAFA
“We are thinking of getting a couple of rabbits to keep in our dayroom;
All to raise money for the Children’s Hospice Association Scotland
Support Force to help decorate the
appeal.
there are constantly people in this room including visitors of all ages.
(CHAS).
St Erme and Trispen Community
To date more than 200
“The rabbits would be taken out and smoothed every day by our
Before setting off, Lt Cdr Billy Adams said: “The training is going
Centre.
troops and members of their
residents and our visitors.
well and the group are getting lots of miles under their belts.
The new centre, the funds for
family have stayed at SSAFA
“The money will be used for a new indoor hutch with wheels so that “It will be an immense challenge for all of us, but we are determined which were raised by the local
Norton House. people that can not hold the rabbits can still see them, and an outdoor
to complete the event and raise money for this worthy cause.
community, replaces an old
Find out more about the run so that the rabbits can go into the massive garden in the summer.”
“To further inspire the team we are scheduled to visit CHAS’ Robin agricultural shed on the verge of
charity at www.ssafa.org.uk or The Fareham home cares for the elderly, the disabled and the House in Balloch where we will see first-hand the superb care that is collapse and in desperate need of
call 0845 1300 975. terminally ill. offered to both the children and their families.” replacement.
028-029_NN_may09.indd 1 17/4/09 10:11:39
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