Fourteen staff from HM Naval Base Clyde pulled together in a tremendous team effort to raise over £3,760 for various charities, by walking (and in some cases running) 42.75 miles in a day.
The team made up of Royal Marines, HMS Neptune Volunteer Band, Royal Navy Veterans, Lockheed Martin UK Strategic Systems, Serco, Forces Financial and Babcock Marine, staff and their families, embarked on the annual Keswick to Barrow-in-Furness walk (K2B) on Saturday, May 6.
Leaving their hotel in Barrow at 3.30am to make their way to the start line at Keswick, the team set off on the 42.75 mile expedition through the beautiful Lake District countryside on a perfect sunny day.
"I joined the HM Naval Base Clyde Keswick to Barrow Team after seeing the challenge advertised in weekly orders, and thought this would be a great way of meeting like-minded people from different organisations throughout the Base," said Sergeant Annabelinda Hardy from HMS Neptune Volunteer Band.
"It was certainly a challenge and one my body seems determined to punish me for!
“It was wonderful to experience the team spirit and determination of everyone involved and also to have the opportunity to raise money for well deserving causes."
The K2B walk event originated in 1966 as a result of a statement made by the late U.S. President, John F Kennedy, that "every American should be capable of walking 50 miles a day."
At that time the first Royal Naval Polaris Submarine, HMS Resolution, was under construction at the Barrow Shipyard where several American experts were involved with the project.
The idea of the walk was conceived and plans were soon under way to organise the event and build relationships between the submarine crew and the shipyard workers.
The initiative was taken by the Installation Manager (Submarines) to formally challenge the Commanding Officer of HMS Resolution to form a team and walk from Keswick to Barrow, approximately 50 miles, on April 1,1967.
The HMS Resolution crew won the team contest in the face of severe competition but a shipyard worker claimed the honour of being the first person back to Barrow.
Deputy Managing Director of Lockheed Martin UK Strategic Systems (LMUK SS) Norman Stewart, one of the event's corporate sponsors stated: "I had the easy job of standing at the finishing line to present medals to many of the 2,500 competitors and was particularly delighted to welcome home the Clyde team when they made it back to Barrow."
Team Clyde's chosen charities are - Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity, Marie Curie Cancer Care, Lupus, Parkinsons UK, Alzheimer's Scotland and Arthritis UK.
The funds are presented to the charities at an awards night in Barrow later in the year. The current record breaking total given to charity was in 2016 when over £350,000.00 was given out to over 200 charities.
