Welsh rugby hero launches Heroes Challenge UK
Monday, 11 March, 2013
Colin Charvis, former Wales Rugby Captain and British and Irish Lions veteran, has joined a team of intrepid military and police personnel to launch a new G4S-backed initiative to raise valuable funds for Help for Heroes.
The former back row stalwart, who joined members of the team at Headley Court - the world-leading rehabilitation centre of injured service personnel in Surrey - is providing fitness training to the men in the weeks before they embark on a mammoth fund-raising challenge.
Heroes Challenge UK will see a 12-man team of serving and ex-military and police personnel from Wales embarking on a ten-day, 1,283-mile journey across the UK. Beginning on Wednesday 22 May 2013, the team will cycle out from John O'Groats on their journey to Lands' End, scaling the highest peaks in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales on their way down the UK and rowing across the Irish Sea twice. The challenge, which will unite armed service personnel from the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force , is due to reach its finale in a mass skydive into Swansea on Friday 31 May by which time the team hope to have raised over £100,000 for the charity, which helps injured service personnel.
The quest has been made even more remarkable given that the team includes several amputees, injured while on active service in Afghanistan.
Today, Colin Charvis accepted a cheque for £10,000 from G4S, which is sponsoring initiative. The company, whose 50,000 employees across the UK include many former servicemen and women, working in roles such as security guards, prison custody officers and in police support, has provided support equivalent to £20,000[i"> in support.
Attending today's launch were a team of three G4S staff from Swansea who will join the event in the support team: Police Custody Detention Officers Ria Jones, 28; Dai Rees, 26 and Robert Fisher, 29, who all work in police custody suites in South Wales, will accompany the team throughout the ten-day challenge, using a new Land Rover provided by G4S and Hitachi Capital.
As well as looking after the welfare of people in police custody in Swansea, Ria is a sports massage therapist and will be attending to the athletes' aches and pains at the beginning and end of each day. Today she got to demonstrate her skills on willing 'patient' Colin Charvis in the rehabilitation gymnasium.
"I've worked with triathletes in the past, but this will be a lot different because of the intensity of the challenge and what the athletes will be putting their bodies through over 10 days," explained Ria.
"It's going to be tough for the guys but I'll be doing my best to get them ready for each day. I can't wait to be part of this amazing challenge."
Patrick Toyne-Sewell, Corporate Affairs Director of G4S UK & Ireland, said:
"G4S has always been proud to support our armed services and we are delighted to be able to support this fantastic event. I'd like to pay tribute particularly to our three colleagues who will be taking time out of work to provide vital logistics support to the team throughout the event. Help for Heroes is a fantastic cause and I wish the team every success in what will be an incredibly tough challenge."
Colin Charvis said:
"I would like to thank G4S for the support they have provided for Heroes Challenge UK. Without this donation the team would not be able to attempt this incredible challenge, which will be a mammoth test of physical and mental toughness. The team will average more than 100 miles per day and their journey will be that little bit easier with the G4S guys in support."
To donate to the Heroes Challenge, visit the fundraising page at:
http://www.bmycharity.com/HeroesChallengeUK
