Charity trek inspired by heroic Yorkshire soldier

THE MANAGING director of an East Leeds maintenance firm will tackle a gruelling 192-mile coast-to-coast trek in memory of a Yorkshire soldier killed during a heroic rescue mission in Afghanistan.
By The Newsroom
Published 29th Dec 2017, 00:48 BST
Private Gregg Stone of 3rd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment, who wass killed in Helmand province, Afghanistan, in 2012Private Gregg Stone of 3rd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment, who wass killed in Helmand province, Afghanistan, in 2012
Private Gregg Stone of 3rd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment, who wass killed in Helmand province, Afghanistan, in 2012

Private Gregg Stone, from Hull, was just 20 years old when we was shot dead in Helmand Province while attempting to recuse a police office who had been kidnapped by insurgents.

Former police officer Lee Garner, the managing director of Whinmoor firm Capability, never knew Pte Stone, who served with the 3rd Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment, but was touched by what happened to him and wanted to do something to both recognise his sacrifice, and that being made on a daily basis by servicemen and women on active duty.

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He will set of along Alfred Wainwright’s Coast to Coast trail, from Robin Hood’s Bay to St Bees’ Head in Cumbria, on June 3, which marks the sixth anniversary of Pte Stone’s death.

Lee Garner, managing director of Leeds firm Capability, is doing a Coast to Coast walk to raise money for the Yorkshire Regiment Charitable TrustLee Garner, managing director of Leeds firm Capability, is doing a Coast to Coast walk to raise money for the Yorkshire Regiment Charitable Trust
Lee Garner, managing director of Leeds firm Capability, is doing a Coast to Coast walk to raise money for the Yorkshire Regiment Charitable Trust

The hike will raise money for the Yorkshire Regiment Charitable Trust to help the work they do in supporting soldiers who have suffered poor health or financial hardship.

Mr Garner said his trek was part of a “Giving Back” drive at his firm, which includes donating three day each month to community and charity work, and cleaning the homes of vulnerable people or doing their gardening for free. He said: “The amount of support given to our ex-servicemen and women by the Government of the day is, quite frankly, poor. It takes charities and other voluntary workers to stand up for those people who have served our country bravely.

“I wear my Help For Heroes jumper to demonstrate that I’m very proud of our servicemen and women. We all have to do our bit, and that is exactly why I created ‘Giving Back’.”

To sponsor Mr Garner, click here.

Related topics:YorkshireAfghanistan