Four men with maritime backgrounds have raised nearly £2,000 through a walking challenge on the Isle of Man to help Manx seafarers, according to IOM Today.
The group hiked 12.5miles from Laxey to Snaefell Summit and then walked down to Ramsey in aid of the King George’s Fund for Sailors (Isle of Man) and Seafarers UK.
Dick Welsh MBE, Captain Lee Clarke MN, John Garland and Rory O’Connor crossed the open moors via the Millennium Way to the north of the island as part of the journey.
The men’s efforts are in response to the annual fundraising event, the Trafalgar Ball, being cancelled due to the pandemic. The event normally raises £8,000 towards helping seafarers in the Isle of Man and further afield. They are also concerned about seafarers who are currently stuck at sea and cannot return home due to the border closures around the globe.
“It’s a very difficult situation for seafarers,” says Clarke. “We wanted to do something to help with repatriation costs, plus we are a seafaring nation and our fishermen have done such an amazing job. We wanted to give them recognition.”
The trek took roughly six hours with the final destination being The Royal George pub in Ramsey.
“When we were at the top of Snaefell, we could see ships working. It was nice to recognise that there are seafarers working away every day,” continues Clarke. “It was a fantastic day. The support has been absolutely amazing.”
The team has raised just over £1,900 but will continue to keep the campaign going to raise more. Read the full article online.