FORCE FOR GOOD


Liver birds are calling for Paul and Tim


YOU can take the man out of Liverpool, but not Liverpool out of the man, so the saying goes. Perhaps that’s why Lt


Gibbo just keeps on going


ANOTHER week,


£10,000 in the Help for Heroes kitty thanks to the efforts of the Navy’s super-fundraiser – and walker par excellence


‘Gibbo’ Gibbs (pictured above). The petty officer,


at NATO headquarters in Northwood, North London, hit the streets of the capital for his favourite good cause (for which he’s so far collected a staggering £125,000): walking


London football grounds, finishing at Wembley in time for England’s clash with Holland in February. Last year, Gibbo clocked up more than 400 miles on three sporting-themed walks – taking the match ball from Wembley to Cardiff (and back again for the reverse fixture) for the England- Wales Euro 2012 qualifiers. He also carried the match ball for the H4H rugby match, taking it to Twickenham in December. It took five days to get around all 12 league grounds – from minnows such as Dagenham and Redbridge to Premiership giants Arsenal and Chelsea – plus stop offs


Gibbo. “Hate counting it though.” The capital odyssey began at Dagenham and Redbridge, then a short 6.3-mile stroll to Upton Park, home of West Ham United, before continuing to Leyton Orient, next White Hart Lane and home of Spurs, and finally, after a daily total of 21 miles, Arsenal, where, says Gibbo “the staff at


(used by rugby fans ahead of the England-Wales Six Nations clash) and Baker Street station in the heart of London (it’s one of the main Tube exchanges for fans travelling to Wembley). Fans at the England friendly helped fill two buckets with coins and readies – helping the senior rate to smash his £8,000 target by a cool £2k. “I


love raising money,” says at St Margaret’s station to the 12


– Andy based


another


the Emirates were wonderful and couldn’t do enough to help”. They invited him pitch-side so he could take a few snapshots. A great end to the first day!” On the second day, the sailor had a walking partner


form of CPO JC Cameron Wood. The pair crossed the capital to Chelsea, who again allowed the sailors to the side of the pitch for the obligatory photos, remaining in West London to visit Craven Cottage, home of Fulham, and QPR at Loftus Road. After collecting £800 at St Margaret’s after the rugby game at Twickenham and £3,100 around Baker Street and Wembley ahead of the Carling Cup final, PO Gibbs resumed his walk crossing the Thames for a 12-mile trudge to Selhurst Park, of Crystal Palace fame. For the penultimate day, he remained south of the river, departing Palace and walking to the Lions’ Den at Millwall, where he was given access to the stadium and pitch side for some photos before completing the final leg to Charlton. Once at the Valley, the walker was again allowed pitch side.


all that was left was to walk to Wembley. Admiralty Arch seemed a good starting point for a sailor… arriving at the spiritual home of English football 10.2 miles later. Throughout the support from the clubs and Football Association was first-rate – Millwall were “outstanding”, Charlton offered “a nice cuppa” and the FA sorted out free tickets to the England friendly. You can support Gibbo’s ongoing


efforts in the


Yomper Richie honoured in canine form


l Jenny Hollington in HMS Warrior with Allen Parton’s dogs EJ (Endal Junior) and Rookie and Des Cox, quartermaster of HMS Warrior 1860


With all grounds covered,


honour of Richard Hollington, a Royal Marine Commando who became the 300th British casualty of the Afghanistan conflict when he died in June 2010. His parents, Jenny and Robin Hollington,


at www.bmycharity. com/DOINGITFORHEROES and follow his latest fund-raising activities via www.facebook. com/DOINGITFORHEROES or www.twitter.com/GIBBODIFH


EVERY now and then the opportunity arises for us all to be a part of something that Britain seems to do better than any other country in the world. Such an opportunity presents itself in June immediately following the National celebrations for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Musical support to these


Beat Retreat


Beat a path to the


in celebration of the birthday of their Captain General, the Duke of Edinburgh on June 6 and 7 at 6.15pm.


Only performed every two


years, this magnificent pageant of military music, precision drill and colour dates back to the 16th century and is regarded as a piece of living history.


celebrations will play a vital role in ensuring that the Diamond Jubilee is seen across the world as a remarkable spectacle of ceremony and pageantry with all three of our Armed Forces Bands taking centre stage in London. The Massed Bands of HM


Royal Marines are the Royal Navy’s musicians and have a reputation as being one of the finest military bands in the world. Following hot on the heels of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations, the Massed Bands of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines will once again perform their world- renowned Beating Retreat on London’s Horse Guards Parade


www.navynews.co.uk


Included in the Musical Spectacular are the ceremonies of Beating Retreat and Ceremonial Sunset, which once witnessed on the hallowed ground of Horse Guards Parade are something that will never be forgotten. Two hundred of the world’s finest military musicians will be performing with all five Royal Marines Bands on parade. Tickets for this magnificent


event are available from £15, with all proceeds going to Naval Service Charities. For


more details and


to buy tickets please visit www.royalmarinesmusical spectacular.co.uk


comfort in their involvement with Hounds for Heroes since Richard’s death, raising significant funds and helping as volunteers. Jenny is


the Hounds for Heroes’ Summer Ball, which takes place on HMS Warrior, Portsmouth on June 15. She said: “Since finding them


currently organising have found great


sponsors and some of the charity’s volunteers at Crufts dog show. Yomper Richie was named in


HOUNDS for Heroes has a new recruit – six-month old puppy Yomper Richie, who met


his


on our doorstep, we’ve been right behind ‘Hounds’, and will do all we can to make them a success. “Whilst nothing can make up for losing Richard, our dream that Yomper might one day be to another Marine what Endal was to Allen is a great comfort to us.” Endal, as many readers of Navy


Hounds for Heroes in 2010. Now Yomper is going through basic training at the charity’s Hampshire training centre under the watchful eyes of his ‘puppy parent’ Roma Fielding and her family.


News will know, was the yellow labrador working for Canine Partners who changed CPO Allen Parton’s life after he was badly injured in the Gulf War. Endal became famous throughout the UK when he was pictured helping Allen do his shopping, post his letters, and work the washing machine. Allen later wrote a book about his life with Endal, who died in 2009. Allen registered the charity


He is being sponsored by Commando 999, a group of ex-Royal Marines all now working in the emergency services. At the charity’s Crufts stand they presented a cheque for £20,000 to Hounds for Heroes, which will fund Yomper’s two years of training and eight years as an assistance dog.


Hounds for Heroes are unique in being the only assistance dog charity to completely fund their dogs throughout their working life.


Yorkie is stout-hearted


fantastic turn-out to welcome me, with parents, ex-Navy mates, lifelong friends, and the local scooter clubs who escorted us in. “The walk itself was good, I aimed at a steady 20 miles a day and friends and colleagues walked part of the way with me. The route took us from Faslane to Largs, Cumnock, Dumfries, Carlisle, Kendal, Kirby Lonsdale, Settle,


volunteers to join me when they could and told them to bring their giggle sticks with them – we had a good laugh.” Yorkie, 47, spent a large part of his career in Scotland, at Faslane and Rosyth. His ships included HMSs Antrim, Glasgow,


home.” He


Skipton, Keighley and added:


“I asked for


AFTER 30 years in the Navy Petty Officer Yorkie Stout felt like stretching his legs. So when he retired he walked out of the main gate of Faslane – and walked – and walked. Yorkie took the long road south to his home county (the clue is in his name) and 13 days and 252 miles later arrived in Queensbury, near Halifax, to a warm welcome at his local, the George. Yorkie


said: “There was a


Tim Johnson and CPO Paul O’Shaughnessy are heeding the call of the Liver Birds and returning to their home city to raise money for charities close to their hearts. When Paul and Tim, who are


now based at HMS Collingwood, in Fareham, decided to raise money on a charity bike ride, they agreed the destination should be Liverpool, 230 miles away.


Fareham in June and cycle across country, avoiding major roads and cycling through the South Downs, Basingstoke and Reading, before stopping the night in Bicester. On day two, their route will take them through Banbury, Stratford upon Avon, Kidderminster and Bridgnorth. Finally, on day three, they


will cycle through Cheshire and into Merseyside, stopping for a well-earned cup of tea at Paul’s mother’s house in Speke, before finishing their journey at the Liver Building in the heart of Liverpool. Paul, 46, and Tim, 32, will be collecting money at MOD establishments en route and hope to raise at least £1,000 in sponsorship for each of their charities, the Royal National Institute for the Blind, the RNRMC, and Cancer Research. Paul’s mother, who attends


The pair plan to set off from


Bradbury Fields for the Blind in West Derby, Liverpool, recently lost her sight due to macular degeneration, and Paul is keen to raise as much as possible for the RNIB, so they can continue their good work. Tim was due to be married


last year, but the wedding was cancelled after his fiancée’s mother died from cancer, which is why Tim will be cycling to raise money for Cancer Research. At 46, Paul realises that the


journey will be challenging, but he feels he is up to the task. He joined the RN in 1982 and has served with the Royal Marines in Northern Ireland, Bosnia and Iraq. Recently he served in Afghanistan, where he worked for the counter-IED Task Force. He is a keen Everton supporter, but does not get to the game as much as he would like. Paul’s web page is at http://


www.justgiving.com/Paul-O- Shaughnessey


Knocker aims high


AT THE end of March, a team of Naval Physical Training Instructors were due to be scaling the height of the Spinnaker Tower on a Functional Training Rig over the course of ten hours in Portsmouth’s Guildhall Square. Gareth ‘Knocker’ White is


l Yorkie Stout celebrates his homecoming in style


Ark Royal, Dumbarton Castle, Anglesey, Shoreham, Bangor and Echo.


rugby league country, but having made his mind up very early to join the Navy, Yorkie dedicated his sporting ambitions to rugby union and enjoyed a distinguished playing career. After 30 years in the Navy, he intends to spend his retirement


His home-town is in the heart of


every year of service with his long walk home.


uk.virginmoneygiving.com/ YorkieStout


He has already raised more than £2,000 for the RNRMC and money is still coming in. To donate,


visit http://


with his wife Heather, running his mobile caravan servicing company. Yorkie aimed to raise £100 for


a former RN PTI, who after a history of competing for the Navy in rugby, boxing and soccer, suddenly found himself facing the challenge of Multiple Sclerosis. This was seven years ago, but Knocker was determined to turn his adversity to the good. Anything for a Life is a charity set up by Gareth to support people and families who are experiencing tough times through illness, injury or disease. POPT Danny Fallon is a long- standing friend of Knocker, and is determined to raise as much money as possible to support his friend and his charity. Find out more online at: http://anythingforalife.com/ and http://www.justgiving.com/ anythingforalifechallenge


APRIL 2012 33:


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