The Royal Engineers HQ - University of Medway Campus - Historic Dockyard, Chatham - Chatham Naval Memorial - Rochester Castle & Cathedral
After completing my 10 miles on the treadmill yesterday to sort out my body, walking stance and stride distance, today I was back out on the road. This time the unitary authority of Medway was my destination.
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| The Royal Engineer Headquarters, Chatham |
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| Dropping in to support the Kent Army Benevolent Fund The Soldier's Charity & meeting Colonel Cook |
Whilst at the RE Headquarters I had the opportunity to pop in and visit ABF The Soldiers’ Charity. I am deeply honoured to serve as a Special Ambassador to ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, which exemplifies the BRIT ethos of supporting other charities.
ABF The Soldier’s Charity offers lifetime support to serving and retired soldiers and their families. They provide financial assistance to soldiers in need and have been doing so for 66 years. In the past two years they’ve seen a 30% rise in applications from soldiers seeking assistance and they currently raise £7 million a year to meet that need. Projections are that they will need to increase their fundraising to £14 million a year by 2015 to ensure that every soldier that needs help will receive it.
Please consider joining the BRIT 2012 Challenge and raising money for ABF The Soldiers’ Charity. Log on to www.britishinspirationtrust.org.uk to join now.
My walk today saw me passing through the University Campus at Medway. It was a great shame not to meet the students, however by walking on weekends, I am going to pass through quiet areas. By this time the weather had become quite cold and I was glad of the layers of clothing I was wearing. At least there’s no snow to be walking through!
I passed by St. Mary’s Island Chatham Maritime and it looked like the clouds might open up at any moment, but fortunately they held off. I do enjoy being outdoors, even in the rain and cold, as this is a great way to see the country. My walk then took me by the historic dockyard at Chatham, which for over 400 years played a crucial role in supporting the Royal Navy.
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| Outside Rochester Cathedral after completing Day 5 |
At the highest point overlooking the Medway, I was able to enter the Chatham Naval Memorial. The memorial commemorates officers, ranks and ratings of the port who died at sea during the wars of 1914 to 1918 and 1939 to 1945. Actions in which they fought are recorded in the registers and on the memorial itself. The names of over 18,500 men and women are recorded on the memorial; of these some 8,500 died during the First World War and 10,000 during the Second World War. All were buried or lost at sea or were otherwise denied, by the fortunes of war, a known or honoured grave. This was certainly a time for reflection.
I completed the Day outside Rochester Castle and Rochester Cathedral before driving back home to prepare for tomorrow’s 10 miles at Winchester, Hampshire.
Another great day on the BRIT 2012 Challenge.
52 miles done…1960 miles to go!