HMS Collingwood staff run to remember

Members of Interserve staff from HMS Collingwood recently battled through injury and inexperience to complete the Royal British Legion Portsmouth Poppy Run.

Felicity Cockcroft and Nicola Sadler from the Unit Personnel Office and Lisa McGuinness, Buildings and Site Visitor Administrator, teamed up to run the event with the aim of remembering the Fallen and also giving something back to help the living.

Felicity, as the most experienced runner, mentored and encouraged her colleagues throughout the event. She said, “It was brilliant, it’s something we love to do and it’s great to raise money for such a good charity.

"We love working here and our customers become our friends so it’s lovely to be able to give something back to help Forces personnel.”

Despite an earlier injury being aggravated by her efforts, leading to a torn muscle in her knee, she said, “I’d love to do it again next year, maybe getting a bigger Interserve team from right across HMS Collingwood.”

Nicola agreed saying, “It was part of our personal fitness goals. Between the two of us, we’ve lost fifteen stone over the last few years so, as a running newbie, it was great to get involved with this.”

The route took them along the picturesque Southsea seafront, which is reasonably flat but with a steep hill at the start and again at the finish to really test the runners.

It was Lisa’s first ever 5k race and the experience of the Poppy Run has inspired her to sign up for another 5k in two weeks’ time. She said, “I only started training 8 weeks ago but I was inspired to do the Poppy Run by my son’s visit in May to Ypes to the grave of his Great-Great Grandfather who died in action on 31st July 1917 aged 36.”

The three ladies raised an amazing £359 for the charity and have without doubt proved a real inspiration to their colleagues. 

Photographs courtesy of Felicity Cockcroft.