Tell it to the Marines!
An endeavour by Benevolent Cops who are Ambassadors of the Police service
O
n Saturday 15
th
May this year a band of dedicated fundraisers will set
off from Bowness on Solway on the West Coast to trek nearly 100
miles to far away Wallʼs End on the East coast. They will follow Hadrianʼs
Wall along its unforgiving terrain sleeping at various forms of refuge en
route during their seven day journey.
There is a difference with this endeavour in that one of the participants
will be pushing his 47 lb NHS issue castered wheelchair. Swasie Turner
MBE will be pushing his chair alongside Cheshire Police dog handler and
former Royal Marine Graham Jones and his police colleague Sergeant
Rick Connolly. Another team member is former Royal Marine, Gary
James, from Plymouth who will travel up from the South to take part in this
endeavour. The final member is Ken Hartley from Stoke on Trent, a former
REME serviceman.

This arduous and lengthy trek is to raise much needed funds for the
Royal Marines Charitable Trust Fund (RMCTF) as well as a donation to
Help4Heroes. His Worship Andrew Hodgson, the Mayor of Wirral will
be sending letter of fraternal greetings and a shield bearing the crest of
Wirral, to his opposite number, the Mayor of North Tyneside, Linda Arkley.
Swasie will have the honour of presenting these to her on arrival at the
conclusion of their trek. Members of the Police and Fire Services are to
assist, some of whom are also former Royal Marines. It is anticipated that
a number of these too will take part and accompany the team for some or
even all of the route.
Kind donations have already been received from Masonic Lodges and
branches of the RMA (Royal Marines Association) as well as individuals
on learning of this worthy endeavour. Swasie has pushed his trusty steed
a total of 36,000 miles since he became a ʻwheelchair pilotʼ eleven years
ago due to an act of gratuitous violence while serving as a front line cop
on our angry streets which left him minus a leg. Swasie was awarded his
Royal Marines Green beret and made a honary marine after completing
many arduous treks and field activities with Royal Marine recruits for the
past eight years at their Commando Training base at Lympstone. Such
activities included the endurance course, the Assault Course and he has
completed three Thirty Milers. Like the other former ʻBootnecksʼ, Swasie
will be wearing his coveted green ʻlidʼ (his most treasured possession)
during the lengthy and physically demanding journey across the country.
The team have the blessing of, and are being afforded kind assistance
by, Hadrianʼs Wall Heritage Ltd and Sustrans (Hadrianʼs Cycleway) and
have the additional expertise being afforded by Ranger Doug Ridgway,
whose advice and assistance will prove to be invaluable to ensure the
endeavour will be a safe and successful enterprise. Overseeing the
teamʼs participation will be Brigadier Charles Hobson of the Royal Marines
Association, a true Officer and a Gentleman.
Brigadier Hobsonʼs continual tireless and ongoing efforts for the RMA
and Royal Marines charities will ensure that all donations received will
go to assist the heroic men and women of our services, and ensure their
dependant families are well looked after during these difficult times as
Afghanistan claims so many of our brave young men and women. The
Royal Marines Charitable Trust exists to provide benevolence support
to those in need. In addition to benevolence work, the RMCTF provides
financial assistance to serving and former Royal Marines and their wives
and dependants who are in need or distress whether due to death,
injury, illness or any other unforeseen circumstances. Should anyone
wish to subscribe to such an extremely important and worthy cause, all
donations will be gratefully received. The RMCTF is a registered charity
(No. 248733) and the address to send your kind and much appreciated
donations to is: RMA Chief Executive, Building 32 HMS Excellent,
Whale Island, Portsmouth, PO2 – 8ER
36
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