A team of oil and gas workers have raised £10,0000 by marching 54 miles to raise funds for the British Army’s official charity.
The 15-strong team from Serica Energy took part in ABF The Soldiers’ Charity’s Cateran Yomp at the weekend, challenging teams of soldiers, veterans and civilians to walk 22, 36 or 54 miles across the rugged terrain of the Perthshire countryside in less than 24 hours.
The team, including staff from the Aberdeen and London offices, both on and offshore, was one of the largest corporate teams taking part in this year’s Cateran Yomp, led by Aberdeen-based Scott Wells, Lead Area scheduler. He was joined by colleagues aged 25 to 60 in roles ranging from onshore technicians to senior management. Raising £10K in the process, the team scooped eight Gold medals, two Silver medals and five Bronze medals.
Reflecting on their achievements, Mr Wells, who reached Gold, said, “We arrived as colleagues but finished as friends and all as Cateran Veterans. Utmost respect to all the Yompers who started and finished this year’s challenge. It has been an incredible and well-organised experience; an honour and a privilege to be part of the Yomp. This is the toughest challenge I have ever taken on. I will be encouraging as many of my colleagues to sign up for next year and encouraging Serica to look at opportunities for supporting next year’s event. Thank you to all the event organisers and supporting staff for making this a memorable weekend for years to come from all our Serica Energy Cateran veterans.”
Brian Langton, Mechanical Technician, added, “From suffering a mini-stroke two years ago and feeling sorry for myself walking with a limp to reaching 22 miles and a Bronze medal, it doesn't get any better than that! The teamwork and camaraderie from the charity network and support staff were amazing. Our captain Scott Wells was also inspirational from start to finish - it was awesome!”
Serica is one of the UK’s leading independent oil and gas companies, producing from 11 fields with a balanced, growth-oriented portfolio in the UK North Sea.
Over 1,200 soldiers and civilians from across the globe came together to support ABF The Soldiers' Charity during the 12th Cateran Yomp.
Raising £300,000, the participants, aged 16 to 76, travelled from as far as the US, Lebanon, New Zealand, Ukraine, Italy and Germany to walk side by side on a 24-hour trek across the beautiful hills and glens of the historic Cateran Trail in Perthshire.
ABF The Soldiers’ Charity is the Army’s National Charity and provides a lifetime of support to serving soldiers, former soldiers, and their immediate families when they are in need, minimising hardship and encouraging independence and dignity.
The Cateran Yomp has raised millions of pounds for the charity, with donations funding everything from wheelchair ramps for soldiers’ homes, to respite care and personal recovery plans for injured soldiers returning from the front line. In 202/23 alone, the charity supported around 70,000 members of the Army Family in 45 countries around the world; the youngest beneficiary was just three months old and the oldest was aged 103.
Starting at 6am on Saturday and ending in the early hours of Sunday morning, the event challenged teams of brave souls to walk 22, 36 or 54 miles in less than 24 hours. They enjoyed favourable weather on the 54-mile route around the foothills of the Cairngorms, with the distraction of live music, magically lit forests and fireworks.
This year’s event was sponsored by The Famous Grouse, alongside Dover Fuelling Solutions, Arnold Clark Car and Van Rental, Land Rover Pentland, and Leonardo. The Cateran Yomp also works with a range of local sponsors who donate gifts in kind for the event, including Castle Water, Mackie’s of Scotland and Tunnocks.
Reflecting on the weekend, Major General Tim Hyams CB OBE, Chief Executive of ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, commented: “The Cateran Yomp is a flagship event for ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, and has this year seen record participation. I am hugely grateful to every single participant; all of whom have demonstrated significant mental and physical resilience, and an evident sense of teamwork. In so doing, they have made a tangible difference to our ability, as the Army’s national charity, to be there for soldiers, for life.”
For more information, visit https://soldierscharity.org/yomp or https://www.facebook.com/cateranyomp.