3 PARA returned from Ex SWIFT RESPONSE in July where they were working alongside their French and American counterparts in Croatia. However, a small team from C Coy have chose to take the long route home and tabbed 500 miles back across Europe.

Exercise Enduring Heritage was the brainchild of OC C Coy, Maj Andrew Fox, and involved a team of guys conducting a weighted march from Arnhem to Normandy, two places that are very significant to the history of The Parachute Regiment, in order to raise money for the regimental charity, Support Our Paras. You can sponsor them here https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/enduringheritage

We are pleased to report that just after lunch on 18 July, after 20 solid days tabbing, the team crossed the finish line at Pegasus Bridge!

The guys were joined along the way by superstar DJ and ex-PARA, Danny Rampling, for 75 miles of their epic journey. Danny has been a huge supporter of the charity over the years and regularly joins us for PARAS’10. Professional MMA fighter and Police Officer, Kerry Hughes also joined the team and crossed the finish line with them on 18 July.

To catch up with the team’s journey and see the highlights of their challenge, check out Maj Fox on Twitter at https://twitter.com/maj_fox

Merville Barracks is rather quiet at the moment as the majority of 3 PARA are away on exercise in a variety of locations. One of those locations is The Falkland Islands, where A Coy deployed almost two months ago.

Not content with just going on exercise, A Coy decided they wanted to take PARAS’10 back to the Falklands, two years after the inaugural race when 3 PARA were last out there in 2017.

At the end of June, A Coy held their own PARAS’10 with finisher t-shirts and medals like every other race, and raising money for their Regimental Charity. You can sponsor them here https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/JamesThwaite

Their aim was to raise £5,000 which will go towards supporting their brothers and their families when they are in times of need, but they need your help to make that target a reality.

This event was the second international PARAS’10 this year and the third 2019 race. The first was held in Kabul, where 3 PARA were deployed earlier this year and the second was our regular Colchester event, which saw record numbers attend.

If you’d like to test yourself against The Parachute Regiment standards, you can join us at our Catterick event this September. For more information or to sign up, please visit https://paras10.com/

Two brothers, David and Colin Richardson, both former members of The Parachute Regiment, paddled their boat, a WW2 copy folding kayak (TONGA TWO), 100NM from Portsmouth Harbour to Pegasus Bridge, Benouville, Normandy on 05-06 June 2019,  in support of The Parachute Regiment Charity. You can support them here https://mydonate.bt.com/events/peggypaddle  

Having served in the 1st and 2nd Battalions around the globe, often in the same operational theatre at the same time, the Richardson Brothers wanted to to continue to contribute to the wider Parachute Regiment family, ensuring that those members and their families affected by recent and not so recent operations can continue to get the vital support they require and deserve. 

Colin & David set off at 0400 from Portsmouth Harbour on 5 June 2019 with their 6 man support crew getting ready for the journey ahead.

Their support boat SEALEGS IV and rescue zodiac were manned by ardent mariners who were all up for the challenge of supporting these brothers on their challenge.

Colin said, “The people of Normandy have pulled out all the stops to assist us and Madame Arlette Gondree has marshalled support from the Mayor of Benouville and the Harbour Master and his team at Ouistreham.”

We are pleased to report that Colin & David made it to Pegasus Bridge at 1201hrs on 6 June, having completed the crossing in just 30hrs 27mins.

A huge well done from the team at SUPPORT OUR PARAS!

On Thursday 23 May 2019, ex-PARA Martin Hewitt reached the summit of the World’s highest mountain, Mount Everest.

Martin is part of the Adaptive Grand Slam team who are attempting to become the first disabled team to climb the 7 highest peaks in the World as well as reaching the North and South Poles. The team have learnt to climb using modified techniques and equipment in order to take on the world’s most challenging mountains. This May, it was time to conquer Everest.

As well as reaching the summit, the team had hoped to raise £1 for every metre the mountain is high. They still have a way to go towards their target, but you can sponsor them here.

The Everest team first attempted to reach the summit in 2012 with Walking With The Wounded. Disappointingly the expedition was called off due to bad weather and extreme danger on the slopes but the team were hopeful for better conditions this year.

Joining Martin for most of the expedition was another ex-PARA, Terry Byrne. Martin & Terry were both wounded on operations in Afghanistan whilst serving with The Parachute Regiment. Unfortunately Terry began struggling with his injury and despite upping his medication to help with inflammation and pain, the decision was made for him to return home after he was unable to wear his prosthetic leg. This came after two weeks of Terry dealing with the pain and despite him knowing it was the best decision, it was a bitter pill to swallow considering the training and dedication he had put in for this attempt.

We are sure that Terry will be joining us when we say a huge Congratulations to Martin for reaching the summit of Mount Everest. This is a remarkable achievement and one that we and The Parachute Regiment are incredibly proud of. Once a Para, always a Para.

2019 has seen the Ultimate 10 Mile Endurance Race travel across the world as Paratroopers take the race on tour, challenging more people to test themselves against their high standards.

The PARAS’10 was originally founded by WO1 JJ Wilson and was run in Aldershot from 1982 to 1993. When the PARAS left Aldershot, the event lay dormant until 2008, when it was revived by Major Sam McGrath in Catterick. In 2012 it was introduced in Colchester, the home of our Airborne Forces.

The events are organised and run by the charity with the support of the battalions and they continue to go from strength to strength.

This year has already seen an event in Kabul, where 3 PARA set up and ran the event whilst on tour, raising some money for the charity. Not content with just one international race, 3 PARA have taken the event with them to The Falklands, where they are planning on holding an event this June.

The aim of the event is once again to promote and raise funds for their Regimental Charity, SUPPORT OUR PARAS and we are incredibly grateful to have their support.

To support A Coy with their Falklands race, please visit https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/JamesThwaite