SAILORS TAKE TO THE TRACKS FOR CHARITY CHALLENGE

UPDATED RELEASE WITH ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Royal Navy helicopters escort Virgin Trains East Coast service into York for fundraising mission

Two Royal Navy helicopters have escorted a Virgin Trains East Coast service into York station, as the train operator supports a UK-wide fundraising mission by four Royal Navy sailors.

The team from 815 Squadron Royal Naval Air Squadron (RNAS) Yeovilton worked alongside Virgin Trains East Coast staff at Newcastle station earlier today, helping to load passengers' luggage and catering supplies on-board, before heading south to York for the next stage in their charity challenge.

The four sailors are raising money as they go for the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity (RNRMC), by completing a series of challenges, and through support given via a dedicated RNRMC 'Virgin Money Giving' webpage.

The RNAS team were not told before the event began where and how they would begin the challenge of making it back to their base in Somerset in just five days. The team includes Lieutenant Danielle Welch (30), Petty Officer Stuart McAllister (35), Leading Aircraft Engineering Technician Billy Evans (26) and Aircraft Engineering Technician Kelly Turner (21).

Virgin Trains East Coast Managing Director David Horne met the team on arrival at York station yesterday evening (Monday 23 March 2015). David said: “When we heard about the team‟s mission to raise money for such a good cause we wanted to do all we could to help – and the helicopter escort was a great bonus for our customers.

“A key part of the challenge was that the sailors had to earn their passage on our train to York, and so they helped to load passengers‟ luggage and our catering supplies on-board at Newcastle before heading to York.

“The train is always the fastest way from Newcastle to York, and having completed their tasks, we were delighted to welcome the team on-board as our guests and wish them every success with the rest of their fundraising challenge.”

The sailors had earlier landed by helicopter on the roof of the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, with the task of making the 332-mile journey back to their base in Somerset using their initiative.

Lt Cdr Pete Higgins, Senior Pilot 815 Naval Air Squadron, said: “After first of all being dropped off by helicopter in Newcastle today, a series of challenges lay ahead of the team, including reaching the National Railway Museum at York as the first call on their journey back to base in Ilchester, Somerset.

“Two of our Lynx helicopters on a training flight escorted the train on the last fifteen minutes of its journey into York this afternoon, raising awareness of the fundraising mission and making an impressive sight as the team arrived in this great railway city. We‟re grateful to Virgin Trains East Coast for their support today.

“The challenge will help RNRMC, as the principal charity of the Royal Navy, to maintain their extraordinary support to Navy personnel and our families.”

On arrival at York, the Royal Navy team moved on to the city‟s National Railway Museum to visit 'Churchill‟s Final Journey', a display featuring steam locomotive number 34051 Sir Winston Churchill and the carriage which carried wartime leader Sir Winston Churchill‟s coffin to his state funeral 50 years ago this year.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

Photo and video coverage of the events is available via the Virgin Trains East Coast Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/virgintrainseastcoast. Additional photography is also available via the Virgin Trains East Coast Media Centre, at: http://www.virgintrainseastcoast.com/

Information and updates on the sailors‟ progress can be found on a dedicated Facebook – 815 Squadron Return to Base Challenge page, at: www.facebook.com/815rtbchallenge , where members of the public can also set challenges for the team and pledge their support.

Donations can also be made via the RNRMC‟s „Virgin Money Giving‟ page at: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/charity-web/charity/finalCharityHomepage.action?uniqueVmgCharityUrl=RNRMC