Page 32 - QARANC Vol 20 No 2 2022

32 The Gazette QARANC Association
Charity rowing event inspired by Queen Alexandra and cake!
Student Nurses from the 01/21 cohort organised and participated in a 73km row at Hamstead Campus on the 31 May to commemorate 73 years since the formation of the Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps (QARANC).
Our ‘Ex Dannebrog Row’ was named after the order of Dannebrog, a Danish cross which Queen Alexandra herself chose as the foundation for the logo of QARANC’s predecessor body, the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAIMNS). It is still central to the QARANC cap badge.
Queen Alexandra was a Danish princess prior to marrying King Edward VII, hence the cross pays tribute to her heritage. All funds raised from our event were split between the Defence Healthcare for Education (DHE) branch of the QARANC Association and ABF The Soldier’s Charity.
This exhausting cake-fuelled rowing event was made somewhat more toilsome as the cohort was divided into two teams, with eachteamtakingon73km.
The race was on! Supported by the
team captains, Cpl Kate Hector and Cpl Laud Afam-Adjei, the teams decided amongst themselves the most efficient way to tackle the challenge, with both opting for minute rows at a time before switching to the next rower.
Shows cohort after completing the rowing event
From the get-go QARANC Corps cap badge biscuit skilfully baked biscuit which was competitive spirit by LCpl Robert Stuart and wife Kate Stuart guarded closely by
was high, as each team raced to be the first to finish, being spurred on by the 300-meter gap throughout. To maintain the lead, and to catch up, teams aided each other with foot straps and the rowing handle for rapid change overs. As the hours ticked by, the cohort
remained enthusiastic and offered encouragement and support alongside our cohort mascot Dennis the Dachshund who LCpl Abbie Thompson
kindly brought along. Concurrently, a steady stream of civilian and military students and staff attended the large bake sale, being overwhelmed by the large selection of home baked goods. One talented baker made a QARANC Corps
those on the stall to protect it from consumption. The left-over cakes were generously donated to the local fire department by members of 01/21 Cohort.
The first team to complete 73km did so in just short of five hours with the second team following up only 45 seconds behind them. This fantastic event and turnout raised a generous £450 for good causes and enabled the Cohort to come together for a much- needed event after a prolonged period of social distancing.
Cohort 01/21 aim to expand the event for the whole unit next year.
Finally, thank you to Cpl Andrew Swain for leading with organising the event, and Cpl Laud Afam-Adjei for generating the risk assessment, without both the event wouldn’t have been able to take place and been such a success.
LCpl Liam Wray
Pte Davies working hard during the final moments of the event
Pte Paterson ecstatic to be on the rower