New Bury Voluntary Youth Club Summer Challenge 2013

Each year members of New Bury Voluntary Youth Club take on a challenging event for a local charity. In 2011 they raised an amazing £2,725.00 for Bolton Hospice by climbing the Three Peaks (Ben Nevis, Scafell, Snowdon) and then cycled Bolton – Workington – Whitby. In 2012 it was the turn of Guide Dogs for the Blind to benefit in the sum of £1,700.00, when youth club members walked The Pennine Way.

We were pleased and honoured to learn that for their Summer 2013 Challenge they have chosen Bolton Mountain Rescue Team as their charity, so the ’challengers’ were invited along to our Ladybridge Hall Base/HQ this evening to give us details of their challenge and find out how the money they raise will be used to support our work.

They were met by our Team Secretary and Support Group member Gillian Gregory, Support Group member Iain Clarkson, Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE, and Team Training Officer Dave Marsh (Who brought along his Trainee Drowned Victim Search Dog Sasha)

Six youth club members and leaders will be starting in South Wales on Saturday 27th July 2013 and intend to cycle the length of the Welsh coastline to finish at Chester on Friday 9th August 2013, and then cycle the rest of the way home to New Bury, Farnworth. Those undertaking the challenge include Macauley Farrington, Taylor Aylett, Matty Brown, Declan Hobson, Charlie Potter and Kieran Standish, accompanied by adult voluntary youth leaders Eddie Birchall and Andy Nicholls, who are giving up their own holiday period to support the youngsters.

The teenagers and leaders, who are using their own bicycles (Mostly Mountain Bikes with road tyres) will be staying overnight at Youth Hostels and campsites and are busy applying for grants and organising bag-packing sessions at local supermarkets to raise money to cover their costs.

Bolton Mountain Rescue Team applauds these young people in taking on such challenging events, and wishes them the very best of luck with their cycle ride. If any of our readers would like to sponsor their efforts, please contact Bernadette Tither, Area Learning & Hub Manager, at New Bury Community Learning Centre, Tel: 01204 482960.

It is currently planned that on the day of their return / last day of their challenge, on Friday 9th August 2013, they will all be escorted back into the New Bury Estate, Farnworth, Bolton, by Bolton MRT Land Rover Mountain Rescue vehicles.