RAF Shawbury Ironman challengers complete spinathon

The Instructors are normally in charge of providing Physical Education training to all phase 2 trainees and all other personnel at RAF Shawbury. The team, Corporals Liam Salt, Chris Duffy, Tom Healing and Simon Williams will be joined by Corporal Mike Jones, who has recently moved from his job as an Instructor on Trade Training Flight at the unit.

As part of the training programme for the Ironman the team took on a 24 hour Spinathon in the brand new Jubilee Hall and Fitness Centre at the airbase from midday on Wednesday 25 April until midday on Thursday 26 April. The event, on spinning bikes, was based on many of the stages of the Tour De France. Many Station personnel joined in the stages throughout the day and night and the Youth Academy from Shrewsbury Town Football Club joined personnel from the unit along with some members of the forthcoming RAF Shawbury football tour to Kenya on behalf of the Taking Football to Africa and Beyond Appeal.

The Ironman is an arduous and robust endurance race in the summer heat of the South of France. The team are raising funds for the RAF Shawbury and Defence Helicopter Flying School charity of the year, SSAFA (Soldiers, Sailors, and Airman’s Families Association) and for Tushinde Children’s Charity. Tushinde is based in Nairobi, Kenya and provides schooling and support to children in the slum towns of the Kenyan capital. Liam and Chris travelled to the Kenyan capital last June as part of the team delivering shirts on behalf of the Shawbury based Taking Football to Africa and beyond appeal and worked with Tushinde.

The event requires the servicemen to complete a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike ride and a full marathon within a strict time limit of 17 hours. The team will wear SSAFA kits for the challenge and have been kindly given sunglasses for the event by one of the event sponsors, Foster Grant.

The team can be supported at www.justgiving.com/liam-salt