West coast sees islanders taking on Tower to Tower
RUNNERS and walkers took to the west coast yesterday morning for this year’s Tower to Tower walk in aid of the Guernsey Alzheimer’s Association.
Association manager Julie Thompson said that about 250 people had signed up online but a lot were also expected to decide to get involved on the day.
‘People get up and decide they’re going to do it,’ she said.
She expected that the walk would raise between £6,000 and £7,000 for the charity.
While the majority of participants set off just before 9am, some early arrivals started walking or running as soon as they arrived, perhaps because they were keen to finish in time to watch the Women’s World Cup final.
Charity chairman Stephen Collas said that the event started soon after the association was founded in 2009 and he thought that this was probably the 12th time it had taken place.
The route stemmed from his ownership of Tower Five on L’Ancresse Common, which is where the eight-mile course ended.
Among those taking part for the first time were Megan and James Hamilton, aged 7 and 8.
‘This is the furthest I will have walked,’ said Megan.
‘I’ve done it before but my children haven’t,’ said mum Joanna Hamilton.
‘We thought we would just get up this morning, come for a walk and see what happens.’
Her partner, experienced runner Matt Sirett, was going to run the course and run back to join the other three, who were walking.
This year’s event was sponsored by HSBC for the first time, with the association one of its three chosen charities for the year. A team of 18 runners from the company were taking part, while other staff members were acting as marshals.
‘This is one of our “hero events”,’ said Peter Turner, country head for retail and personal banking.
The day was a particularly special one for one of the younger runners. Clara Schneider was celebrating her ninth birthday by taking part with her family.
‘I only decided to do it yesterday,’ she said. ‘I’ve not done anything like this before.’
Joining her on the run were members of her family including her cousins and aunt, Louise Benjamin, whose late father Rodney was one of the founders of BWCI, which previously sponsored the Tower to Tower walk.
