Page 96 - Wish Stream Year of 2018

PARA 10
OCdt Spoors
Officer Cadets raise money for Combat Stress with the support of the Sandhurst Trust.
The leave period between Intermediate Term and Seniors is always a difficult one. Officer Cadets are now two thirds of the way through the course; inters is a hard slog with Regimen- tal Selection Boards, and it’s all too tempting to book a long holiday in some sunnier climes and neglect the ‘phys’. One foolproof way to avoid this classic trap is to sign some, initially willing, Officer Cadets onto a 10mile loaded march race during the first week back, and in the process raise money for a very worthwhile cause. It was this thinking that led seven members of Burma Company, currently part of commissioning course 181, to line up on an overcast September morning at Catterick to take part in the PARAS’ 10 TAB.
As a group we had decided to raise money in support of Combat Stress, the UK’s leading charity for veterans’ mental health. They pro- vide support over the phone, online, at special- ist centres, and through individual programmes, for veterans struggling with mental health issues from all services and conflicts. Despite their fan- tastic work, and that of other similar groups, the frequency of stories regarding veterans who lose their battle with mental health issues are still too
Officer Cadets Spoors, Rogers, Tomlinson, Poffley, Salzano, Chapman and Wells
common and something we, as a group, feel strongly about. As such we decided to attempt the PARAS’ 10 race, itself a charity event that raises money for SUPPORT OUR PARAS. The event requires entrants to run 10 miles over parts of the route that soldiers run on the Pre-Para- chute selection course. Competitors carry a 35lb Bergen, run in boots, and aim to complete the run in under 1 hour 50 minutes, the time required to pass on P-Coy.
Having prepared as best we could during leave, we found ourselves driving the five and a half hours to Yorkshire after Saturday afternoon sports, ready for the event on Sunday. Highlights from the day were some very suspect distance markers, cramp and classic ‘half-truths’ from the assembled support staff about “this hill is the last one”. All members finished, putting in a sterling effort to get around the course. The fastest time was achieved by OCdt Rogers, who came 37th in the senior men’s category, with a time of 1 hour 38 minutes. Notable mention must also go to OCdt Poffley, who made it in before the cut off time, a very good sign considering he will have to do it again for real next year!
All who took part had great fun, even if it was only after the event had finished that they real- ised they had had fun. A grand total of £1,052.95 was raised and will go to support a very worth- while cause. We would like to thank the Sand- hurst Trust for the financial support they gave the group in order to allow us to compete and raise money.
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