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Master Mariner raises record amount for Scotland ’s veterans

A Master Mariner has pushed full steam ahead by cycling, biking and kayaking to raise £18,686 for war heroes.

The Green Belter Scotland Challenge was Greig Guthrie’s third sponsored event for the veterans’ charity Erskine in 18 months. Already he has taken part in the Black Rock 5, raising £9,500 and hosted a golf day at Callander Golf Club where £3,850 was raised. Greig’s remarkable efforts take his fundraising total to over £32,000.

Greig, a member of the Rangers Supporters Erskine Appeal (RSEA), completed the gruelling challenge in Carron Valley Forest on Saturday 16th July. The endurance test consisted of 21km bike ride, 11km run, 1km kayak, before finishing with an obstacle course known as the Green Machine.

The Callander man, who completed the event in 3hrs 10mins, trained for the challenge whilst working as Chief Officer on board the British Harmony as it travelled the world earlier this year. Greig managed to fit in training sessions around his 12hr shifts, seven days a week.

Greig said: “I am delighted to once again support Erskine and raise money for such a worthwhile cause. I loved competing in the Green Belter Scotland Challenge, the cycling was excellent, but I had nothing left at the end of it. I managed to complete it in three hours, 10 minutes, but I wasted a lot of time going back to search for a missing piece of my bike. But it was good in the sense that I managed to finish it, having never taken part before. I was over the moon to raise £18,686 for the RSEA, £3,500 of which was matched by my employers BP. I’m looking forward to my next fundraising challenge when I can raise even more for the veterans in Erskine’s care.”

Alan Moss, Erskine fundraiser, said: “Everyone at Erskine would like to say a massive thank you and well done to Greig for his outstanding support. Greig has raised a huge amount of money for our veterans’ charity and he has done a superb job taking on this exciting and unusual challenge. Greig’s passion to support the brave ex-Service men and women we care for is second to none. We cannot thank him enough for how much he has done for Erskine over the past 18 months. I’m really glad he enjoyed this challenge so much and I’d like to thank everyone who supported him. Well done everyone for raising £32,000, it means a huge amount to everyone here at Erskine!”

Greig’s support for the charity began when he started fundraising with the Rangers Supporters Erskine Appeal which is on course to smash the £300,000 mark this year. The total currently stands at £275,000.

Donations can be made to the Rangers Supporters Erskine Appeal by visiting www.justgiving.com/rsea2011.

For further information about Erskine, log on to www.erskine.org.uk.