SolutionsPT will celebrate its Silver Jubilee in 2010 and 25 years in business is a considerable achievement. During this time we have always focused on supporting charities, both in our local community and those where one of our employees has a strong emotional tie. This year, as it is a special one,  we aim to raise an extraordinary amount through individual employees and teams taking part in personal challenges, sponsored runs, hill climbs, whatever.

My contribution is to take part as a sailor in a team event called the 'Three Peaks Yacht Race’ together with Phil Gillard and Richard Stone (both from SolutionsPT) plus Trevor Murphy and Jackie Keasley. Phil and Jackie are our fell runners and are members of Helsby running club.

The Three Peaks Yacht Race is an extremely demanding team event where we will race more than twenty other competitors from Barmouth in Wales to Fort William in Scotland in Trevor’s Beneteau 40 'Josephine'. Not only are we sailing 389 miles in one go, but our runners Phil and Jackie then have to run up and down Snowdon, Scafell and Ben Nevis; three marathons in three to five days. Since they have a good chance of being seasick at some time, this is an extreme challenge for them, as it is for the sailors since we have to negotiate many sandbanks, tidal streams and tidal races. Our competitors are local and international; some have even built their boat specially. Our goal is to finish; our hope is a respectable finish. 

If you would like to sponsor me for taking part in this event then my chosen charity is St Ann’s Hospice, whom we have supported for many years now, the headquarters being located just yards from the head office of SolutionsPT. St Ann’s Hospice has grown to be the largest in Manchester and is a key part of terminally ill care provision in our local community.

Each member of our team has chosen a different charity; you can sponsor one or all of us.

Thank you.

John Bailey