A new charity event - the Friends Provident International Harbour2Harbour Sponsored Walk – is being launched tomorrow (Saturday 29th March), with the help of a number of government Ministers and Parish Walk winners Robbie Callister and Sue Biggart.
The walk will take place on Sunday May 11th 2014 and has been organised by Southern Community Initiatives, raising money for SCI projects, including Men in Sheds, Southern Befrienders and SPort Erin.
The route will begin at 10am from Castletown Harbour, following the southern coastline through Pooil Vaaish, Gansey, Port St Mary, and Cregneash before finishing at the site of the former Marine Biological Station in Port Erin. Entry is open to people of all ages and abilities.
Participants are encouraged to seek sponsorship and entry forms are available by emailing H2Hreg@hubclubsci.im or by calling Janet on 838180.
Janet Bridle, SCI Project Co-ordinator and event organiser, said: ‘We decided this would be a great way of bringing the community together, with the bonus of raising money for charity and having a fun day out. The finish area will feature a band, a hog roast, bouncy castle, tea and beer tents and an ice-cream van where walkers and their supporters can celebrate their achievements - hopefully the sun will shine on us!’
‘We are extremely grateful to Friends Provident International – a keen supporter of community initiatives in the south of the Island – for agreeing to sponsor this event, as well as encouraging colleagues who work at its Castletown operation to get involved as participants and officials.’
Friends Provident International General manager, Caroline Cornish said: ‘When we heard about the Harbour2Harbour Sponsored Walk we couldn’t wait to get involved. Sixty per cent of our colleagues live in the south of the Island, so being active in the local community is very important to us. We will also be promoting the event internally and hope lots of our colleagues decide to join in.’
Representatives from the charities and Friends Provident International will be joined at the launch by Rushen MHK, Phil Gawne, who is Minister for Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture and the SCI Chairman. Mr Gawne urged people to support the important fund raising event: ‘It is my privilege to Chair the Southern Community Initiative and I'm pleased that we are working with other local charities to raise funds in this fun and healthy way. The community support work, which our volunteers have been delivering in the south, is transforming many vulnerable and lonely people's lives. Please come along to this major fund raising event - have fun, get fit and raise money for our valuable community work!’
Mr Gawne will be joined by fellow ministers and Rushen MHKs, Laurence Skelly, who is Minister for the Department of Infrastructure and Juan Watterson, Minister for the Department of Home Affairs, as well as Middle MHK and Minister of the Department of Health & Social Care, Howard Quayle.
