Coastguard relay team raises £650

Members of local Coastguard teams from across North Sutherland and Caithness converged on Thurso by pushbike from Bettyhill and Wick at the weekend in a fundraising relay on behalf of the North Branch of the Coastguard Association.

Poor weather conditions were encountered from each direction with varying intensities of rainfall plaguing those approaching from the East while their colleagues from the West faced a strong head wind.

Despite this disadvantage, both teams arrived at the rendezvous point, the Park Hotel, within two minutes of each other, registering a total time of under five hours for the 60 mile cycle.

Teams from the Melness and Reay units, supported by Durness, made the approach from the West from a starting point overlooking Torrisdale Bay while the eastern contingent, representing Wick, Duncansby and Scrabster Units made their way from Wick Sector Office via John O’Groats.

In addition to contributing towards the Coastguard Association’s overall aim of helping coastguards who have suffered hardship as a result of injury sustained through helping those in peril by sea or shore, the North Branch makes contributions towards local charities and towards the purchase of equipment to facilitate their search and rescue activities.

Recent examples include the acquisition of additional torches to help in night searches and helping a pre-school playgroup to buy educational equipment.

Income from the relay, which is still coming in, amounts to at least £650.

The Association is very grateful for the public support it received and also for the opportunity for its members to take part in a healthy, and somewhat strenuous, team building activity.

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