Well that’s it, BBMC is over for another year. The team would like to say a massive thank you to everyone that entered. Almost 800 of you were able to join us on the hill this year.
It’s an event the team thoroughly enjoys running, especially when the weather is like it was yesterday, and we look forward to hopefully seeing many of you again next year .
Also we’d like to say a big thank you, as always, to event sponsor Trekitt.
Over the summer solstice in June, Edward Andrews from Shropshire will be undertaking an unusual adventure to raise money for the team.
Edward will cycle the 65 miles from Shropshire to Gospel Pass. He will then climb Hay Bluff before walking the 87 miles home following the Offa’s Dyke, Kerry Ridgeway and Shropshire Way. Edward is receiving support for his adventure from Wenlock Spring Water.
To find out more or sponsor Edward visit:
Only a few days to go!! If you are a competitor or supporter make sure you have some money with you on the day. As usual our generous event sponsors, Trekitt will have lots of outdoor goodies for sale.
There will also be a range of LMRT and BBMC merchandise and landscape photos of the Black Mountains from Longtown Images, with proceeds going to the team.
On a recent crag training exercise at Llangattock, in sadly very wet and wild conditions, the team were joined by Gordon and Carola Kean. Carola is the widow of a former team member, Bob, and has been an amazing fundraiser – recent events, including a special ladies’ evening have raised in excess of £800 for the team. Having braved the elements to join us on training we are hoping that they will return on a sunnier day for a chance to go ‘over the edge’
This years event is full and entries are now CLOSED. Everyone who have been successful in gaining a place will receive confirmation in the next few days. Thank you to everyone for continuing to support the event and we look forward to seeing you all next month.
Team members assisted Brecon MRT in evacuating a 19 year old competitor in the Black Mountains Roundabout event after they collapsed with suspected appendicitis.
Full story:
On Thursday, Keith Chammings set off on his 1400 mile adventure to celebrate his 70th birthday and along the way raising funds for the team. Keith was seen off from Abergavenny town hall by the mayor, friends and family and representatives from the team. Team members also accompanied Keith on the first leg of his trip, walking with him from Abergavenny to Monmouth.
On his journey Keith will average 16-miles a day for 82 days with only 2 days off (one of which is the ferry trip to France!). If you would like to sponsor Keith on his adventure please visit
http://www.justgiving.com/KEITH-CHAMMINGS
Teenagers on an outdoor education trip had to be rescued from the highest road pass in Wales in blizzard conditions on Thursday (21st March) night. The team were called to the aid of the four youngsters and their trainer who had become stranded in …their minibus on the top of Gospel Pass. The team used two specially equipped Land Rovers to reach the group who were trapped in a snow drift at 1800ft on the pass between Abergavenny and Hay on Wye. The rescue operation took four hours and the teenagers, from Pontpool, were taken back to the outdoor education centre, in Cusop, at midnight. Luke Lewis, deputy team leader, from Longtown MRT, said: “The conditions were atrocious, with drifting snow, blizzards, ice and high winds, but our vehicles are equipped to deal with this. The teenagers were cold and tired but otherwise okay. The centre had tea and biscuits waiting for everyone when we arrived. “This recent cold weather has caught a lot of people out and has kept all the mountain rescue teams in South Wales very busy. “We would remind any walker or motorist intending to head into the mountains to watch out for deteriorating weather conditions and to be well prepared, with spare warm clothing, food and drinks. While walkers must always carry a map, compass and torch.”
On the 11th April, the day after his 70th birthday, Keith Chammings will leave his home in Abergavenny and walk the 1400 miles to Santiago Compostela and then on to the ‘end of the earth’ at Finistere. Keith has very kindly offered to use his 80 day walk to raise funds for the team. If you would like to sponsor Keith for this impressive undertaking please visit his Just Giving page at:
Ewyas Harold Baptist Church have been busy this year making a difference to local charities, and recently presented a cheque to the team for the sum of £575.Revd Matt Powell from the church contacted the team early in 2012 and made it clear the community wanted to work with a nearby group, “This year we are celebrating our 150th year of being a Baptist Church in the village, and as part of our work we run several fund-raising events. During 2012 we looked at several projects and decided that this money often gets absorbed into a national pot, and therefore doesn’t go directly to support local people. As such we thought Longtown MRT was a good way to make sure locally raised funds went to a locally based project”
Receiving the cheque from the church representative, Jenni Whistance, is Longtown MRT Chairman, Mike Jones, who commented, “We were honoured to be chosen as a local charity to receive funds from the work done by Ewyas Harold Baptist Church. Much of our activity involves local people, from a wide rural area, so this was a great way to feel a further connection with the wider community we serve.”