Portland Harbour Authority charity trekkers smash fundraising target

PORTLAND Harbour Authority staff have raised over £3,000 in aid of the island's St John Ambulance HQ, by completing a marathon trek of 26 miles.

A team of six people - called the Harbour Hikers - took part in the Hadrian's Wall trekathon on 25 June 2011. Andy Straw, Gill Lang, Simon Lock, Hayley Walker, Emma Perrin and Lorrie Green braved the rain and sticky mud to finish the challenge in 13 hours.

A team spokesman said: 'We are so pleased to have reached our target for the trekathon and would like to thank everyone who sponsored us.

'The worst problem was, because of the rain, it made it wet and muddy underfoot, which made the last eight miles quite difficult as it was very slippery and also meant we were walking a good deal of the way with wet feet!

'We would also like to thank U-Drive who discounted the cost of hiring a vehicle to get up to Northumberland, and Weyprint, who sponsored the team by printing the T-shirts that were provided to us by St John Ambulance.'

Starting early in the morning from Linstock, a small village near Carlisle, the team's route took them through Northumberland National Park, past crags and lakes towards the finish point of Housesteads Roman Fort.

The team handed over the cheque to Arthur Copus and Terry Shakespeare of Portland St John Ambulance (pictured).

Terry Shakespeare, Superintendent at Portland St John Ambulance, said:

'Thank you and congratulations to the Harbour Hikers for their incredible efforts. All the sponsorship money will go to the Portland branch of St John Ambulance. This will help them buy a new ambulance chair and other essential equipment for our new building.'

PICTURE CAPTION: L-R: Gill Lang, Emma Perrin, Hayley Walker, Arthur Copus, Terry Shakespeare, Andy Straw, Lorrie Green and Simon Lock.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

For interviews, please contact James Fenton or Emily Pykett at Watershed PR: 01308 420785.

Portland Port: Previously a naval dockyard for over 150 years, Portland Harbour is now a thriving and successful commercial facility. It still maintains a close relationship with the past through its ongoing contract to support the RFA, as well as being home to the activities of Global Marine and Portland Bunkers International. It has over 4,000 acres of water at depths of up to 15m (C.D.); and provides vessel services from long term lay-ups to brief maintenance calls, luxury cruise liner docking facilities to industrial cargo shipments.

The tariff and general Portland Harbour Authority information can be viewed athttp://www.portland-port.co.uk/  Portland Port has over 2,000 metres of alongside berths and 11.6 metres (C.D.) depth of water at the deepest alongside berth. Berthing for vessels up to 300 metres (subject to Harbour Master's approval).

·        11 designated anchorages are within the 2,000-acre inner harbour. Six designated anchorages are within the 2,500 acre Outer Harbour.

·        A width of 210 metres and depth of over 12.6 metres (C.D.) at the entrance of the harbour mean that there are few vessel beam, lock, or air draft restriction.