Thirty community-spirited Bangor teenagers are to attempt a blood-and-sweat challenge on Tuesday (24 October) which even Britain’ elite ‘Red Beret’ Paras dread … a ferocious 10-mile log race.
The students of Bangor’s MPCT pre-military centre have signed up to twenty half mile circuits around Bangor’s city centre to raise funds to enable them to carry on giving community service in the area.
Traditionally, the Log-Race is the most feared challenge of all British Airborne Forces undergoing their arduous ‘P-Company’ selection process. Fewer than 20 per cent of them succeed.
Now the 16-19 year old MPCT students are to take on the challenge with every penny raised along their route being returned to their local endeavours in community service.
Last summer, the youths gave up a full day to the Mayor of Bangor’s appeal for the Big City Centre Tidy Up and in November they’ll be supporting the Council’s massive fireworks display on Beach Road helping to marshal spectators and assist in safety management. Later in November they will be seen again scrubbing down the Glanrafon War Memorial ready for Remembrance Sunday.
‘Of course, these additional calls on our students community service – a critical part of their training for future careers – needs money’, said MPCT Bangor Centre Manager Phillip Jacobs ‘The log race hopefully achieves two things: developing their physical fitness and hopefully helps us spread the costs a little’.
Bangor City councillor Mark Roberts who survived the gruelling Parachute Regiment Log Race in his youth said: ‘It’s reduced many toughnuts to tears. There are old men of my age who still remember the aches and pains, blood and sweat of getting through it’.
The route being taken by the MPCT trainees starting at 10am will be from Bangor’s town clock, to Marks and Spencer, Garth Road and Dean Street, up the High Street … and repeated 20 times. ‘I suspect the logs have been chopped down a bit from the hefty telegraph poles used by Para selection, but nevertheless, they’ve set themselves a challenge’ said Cllr Roberts.
Money donated by Bangor’s public will be spent on students own needs from hardship funds, welfare support, scholarships to higher education, learner travel costs etc. ‘Not all our learners are from affluent families and some have some real hardships to contend with. Their commitment to improving their careers and educational prospects is quite astonishing’ said centre manger Phil Jacobs.
Photo: The Parachute Regiment
