Simon Hartley, Phil Roche and Ian Teare have collectively agreed to participate as the “Compass Rose” team in this years Three Peaks Challenge on 19/20 June.  This involves climbing three of the tallest mountains in the , namely , Helvellyn and , in 24 hours and will entail approximately 3000 metres of vertical climbing and 24 miles walking.  Apart from the perverse desire to challenge our ageing bodies, the main reason for the walk is to support the Sailors’ Society, this year’s beneficiary of this charitable event.

The Sailors’ Society is a charity set up to assist seafarers all over the world, providing practical help and welfare, spiritual support and financial assistance to seafarers when in need.  This help can vary from practical support, such as transporting seafarers from port to their homes and providing them with phone cards to make calls to home whilst at sea, to emotional and financial support to seafarers and their dependants in circumstances of serious personal injury or death whilst at sea.  The money raised in the Three Peaks Challenge is essential for the Sailors’ Society to function effectively and sustain their work throughout the world.  More details can be found on the Sailors’ Society website, www.sailors-society.org.

The three of us have spent our entire working lives involved in shipping in one way or another and have therefore indirectly benefited from all the work that seafarers provide to make shipping services possible.  This is therefore our way of recognising the contribution provided by seafarers to our lives and an attempt to raise money to make their lives easier.  It should not be forgotten that over 95% of the world’s trade, upon which everyone depends, is transported by sea.  Seafarers are often a forgotten part of this service and we therefore very much hope that you will be able to sponsor us in this challenge and thereby also recognise and support the valuable contribution that seafarers around the world make to our general day to day existence.  If nothing else, it will also give the three of us the required motivation we need to train for and climb the three mountains! 

Thank you very much.

Simon, Phil and Ian.