Last updated at 15:50, Monday, 26 November 2012

A BIG celebration of the amazing record-breaking success of this year’s Keswick to Barrow walk took place at a special awards ceremony at Abbey House Hotel, Barrow, last night.

MAJOR RECOGNITION: Representatives of the K2B committee members receiving their Silver Chairman’s Award. They travelled to the Old Beaumont Estate in Windsor on October 4 to receive the honour at a national award ceremony attended by more than 300 people. Shown from left, is Neil Tyson, Ian Littlehales, Roy Barnes, Julie Kirkham, Ian Walmsley, Shaun Marriott and the presenter Guy Griffiths, BAE Systems Group MD International Submitted

A total of 2,488 participants took part in the 46th Keswick to Barrow walk on May 12 – plus a further 316 in the Coniston to Barrow.

The walkers raised a record £310,291 for good causes.

This is 32 per cent up on last year – a staggering achievement, which doesn’t even take into account the gift aid of £42,000.

John Hudson, managing director of BAE Systems Maritime – Submarines, told those at the ceremony of his pride of all those involved in such a successful event.

Mr Hudson said: “After last year the unpredictable weather in the last week made us twitch somewhat.

“Rather worryingly, Thursday afternoon with a relentless downpour saw ducks swimming on Hawcoat Park cricket square! Fortunately, on the day, the weather was perfect.”

Of the 352 teams who participated, there were 92 from outside Cumbria and more than 200 local teams, including 14 youth and five women’s teams.

There were 17 teams from shipyard suppliers, 23 Ministry of Defence teams and 18 BAE Systems teams.

The first man home, in a time of 4hrs 18mins, and winning the Best Performance Cup was Ian Symington from Warrington, running for the Sercopaths team.

This was only 19 minutes slower than the fastest ever recorded time, which has never been bettered for the past 30 years.

In the Under 17 category, Sam Jefferson, of Ulverston Victoria High School Sixth Form, broke the all-time record and took the Sandy Woods Boys Trophy with a time of 5hrs 39mins, a whopping 22 minutes faster than the previous record.

A closely fought Resolution Cup saw victory for the Shipyard team ALARP who also won the Charity Challenge Trophy.

Mr Hudson said: “With my BAE Systems hat on for a moment, I’m delighted to tell you all that the efforts of the Keswick to Barrow committee have been recognised by a Silver BAE Systems Chairman’s Award. Congratulations to you all.”

The Keswick to Barrow Walk committee members are:

Brian Devenny – chairman

Bill Bright – father of the committee

Julie Kirkham – secretary

Neil Tyson – race adjudicator

Neil Fleming – website co-ordinator

Phil Cooper – gift aid officer

Roy Barnes – charities appeals officer

Ian Littlehales – facilities co-ordinator

Dave Thompson – marshalls co-ordinator

Mike Barker – finish co-ordinator

Keith Johnson – route co-ordinator

Ian Walmsley – certificates and merchandising

Joanna Edmondson – treasurer

Shaun Marriott – team registration and sports club finish arrangements

As K2B president, Mr Hudson also praised the sponsors who had made it all possible.

He said: “Thanks to the following local sponsors for 2012 without whose support the event would not be the success it is.”

They were:

• Furness Internet – Website support
• Bluepole – Event ticketing and certificates and sponsors with Abbey House for the presentation evening
• Abbey House Hotel – Venue for presentation evening
• Edmundsons Electrical – Fruit at the checkpoints
• J F Hornby – Auditing of the accounts
• Willow Water – Water at the finish
• Associated British Ports, Barrow – Sponsors of the Monk Coniston checkpoint.
• ASDA – Water at Machells
• Handmark Engineering – Water at Monk Coniston
• Leck Construction – Materials along the route.
• Borderloo’s – Toilets
• Furness Building Society – Sponsors of the Abbey Road waterpoint
•  IBM – Provision of additional IT equipment for our checkpoints
• North West Evening Mail – Pre and post-walk supplements.

Mr Hudson also praised the main corporate sponsors for the 2012 K2B event.

They were:

• Rolls Royce – provided K2B Finish Medals
• Lockheed Martin UK Strategic Systems – Sponsors of the main food point at Machells Coppice.
• The Bay 96.9 FM – Sponsors of the Coniston to Barrow event
• BAE Systems, Submarines – Facilities, equipment and materials and without whom it would be very difficult to stage the event at all.

First published at 16:56, Friday, 23 November 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk