Soldiers row for charity

  

SOLDIERS completed a 24-hour sponsored row to raise money for a charity helping people with disabilities.

Four members of 23 Engineer Regiment (Air Assault), which recently moved into the new £82million Rock Barracks at Woodbridge Airfield, undertook the challenge.

They brought along two rowing machines to the Thoroughfare, Woodbridge, and at the end of the day they moved to the gym at the barracks.

The aim was to raise money for the Woodbridge-based Disability Advice Service and the Army's Physical Training Corps Association.

The advice service has three staff and 18 volunteers, and it needs to raise 40 per cent of its income through grants, donations and fund raising.

The soldiers who took part were Jason Browring, Ross Wendover, Carl Flynn and Kevin Sutcliffe.

They burnt between 200 and 300 calories in a 10-minute rowing session and they refuelled with bananas, chicken pasta, sandwiches, chocolate and water.

There were other soldiers around the country taking part in the 24-hour challenge and the Woodbridge soldiers were hoping to put their new barracks on the map by coming first.

Staff Sgt Browring said: “It is very good PR for us, coming into Woodbridge for the day, and people see that we are putting something back into the local community.

“We have had a good response from the public and we have had old soldiers coming up to chat and tell us their stories.”

He added that the soldiers were trying to integrate into all aspects of the town and to become involved with sports clubs.