Help For Heroes D-Day Sponsored Walk
Fifteen Wreake Valley Rotarians and friends, led by Nigel Coleman, walked the British and Canadian sectors of the World War Two Normandy D-Day Landing Beaches between Thursday 3rd and Sunday 6th June (D-Day itself) 2010. The walk raised funds for the disabled servicemen and womens' charity "Help for Heroes", and also Troopaid.
Nigel comments:
"When I turned forty in 2008 I decided I wanted to do something memorable, a bit of a challenge but a thoughtful project too. It took about a year for my idea to form but in June 2009, whilst watching the last official commemorations of the World War Two Normandy Landings on TV, I thought "I'll walk from the Landing Beaches to Pegasus Bridge in support of Help4Heroes."
I knew I had one friend who would come along but what I hadn't bargained for was that a week later after I told my Rotary friends of my plan, I was looking for accommodation for fifteen people! Our project in June 2010 saw us taking the ferry crossing to Caen and then walking twenty three miles over two days from near Arromanches (Gold Beach), along the coast and Juno Beach to what was Sword Beach, before turning inland and down the side of Caen Canal to the famous Pegasus Bridge.
To say the trip exceeded my expectations is an understatement. The smooth crossing, excellent weather and friendly banter spurred us on towards our objective. We planned the trip in detail but two completely unplanned events stand out in my mind:
The first was finding out that one of our party is probably related to one of the paratroopers who took part in the glider assault on Pegasus Bridge and whose widow we met during our trip. What a small world! The second was meeting Bill Millin who was staying in our hotel. He was Lord Lovat's piper and played the pipes whilst the troops landed under fire on Sword Beach on D-Day and marched to the Bridge at the village of Benouville.
We set no fundraising target but a quick tot up revealed we had raised almost £4,000. My only concern now is how we top this event next time!"
Below are a selection of photographs taken by the Wreake Valley Rotarians who participated in this truly memorable event.
