This morning Team Training Officer, Elaine Gilliland met with Janet Dickinson and Claire Atkinson of Bolton MBC, Sgt Steve Baldam of Greater Manchester Police and British Army Warrant Officer Andy Farmer, at Bolton Town Hall, to discuss further arrangements for this years Help for Heroes Charity Winter Hill to Bolton Town Centre run, alongside the Bolton Armed Forces Day events. (Which are held in Bolton’s Victoria Square, fronting the Town Hall)
The Day will consist of a 6.9 mile run from Winter Hill summit to Bolton Town Hall and a 30 mile march from Fulwood Barracks, Preston, to Bolton carrying 36lb and 26lb packs respectively, in boots as opposed to running shoes, with all participants entering Bolton Town Hall Square for 14:00 hrs.
The team had previously taken part in similar events on Saturday 7th November 2009, Saturday 26th June 2010 and Saturday 25th June 2011 (See website ’news’ items), all of which have involved our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE and Training Officer Elaine Gilliland in regular planning and liaison meetings with the overall organiser Sgt Stephen Baldam of Greater Manchester Police, GMFRS, the British Army and Bolton Council. The team for each year has provided full Standby Rescue Cover, moorland checkpoints, catering points and marshalling for the runs which are linked in their content to Commando Training activities in the Second World War.
Each year see’s participants from the Bolton MRT, GMP, GMFRS and the Probation Service all taking part in the runs in what always turns out to be a highly competitive finish, with our very own Elaine taking first place the only previous time the 30 mile event has taken place.
In this years events, with most team members required to support the events, we have Elaine once more in the very challenging 30 mile event, and colleague team member David Crawford in the 6.9 mile event. So a date for everybody’s diary is Saturday 23rd June 2012, why not watch the runners on the course; a recommended excellent viewing point is the junction of Coal Pit Lane, and Scout Road with Smithills Dean Road, or join in the running events finish and clap home the runners, at Victoria Square, Bolton, at 2pm / 14.00hrs.
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The team is very honoured to take part in this local Help for Heroes event, in partnership with our colleagues in the British Army, Bolton MBC, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service and Greater Manchester Police, and we have fully pledged as with previous years, the teams total support for this years event.
