Skiers turn to wheels for charity fundraiser

THEY are not expecting snow but four members of a cross country ski club will be tackling a 100km route through East Yorkshire next month to raise money for wounded servicemen.

The quartet from the Yorkshire Dales Cross Country Ski Club have picked a route that sticks to quiet country lanes wherever possible when they set out on their Humber Bridge to Flamborough Head challenge on September 12.

The group will be using roller skis and classic skiing techniques.

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They will be collecting money for a new charity Help Our Wounded (HOW), part of the Royal Marine Charitable Trust Fund, which is aiming to raise 6m for the Royal Marines' 350th birthday in 2014.

Their leader, Dave Coulthard from Leeds, a former Royal Marine and now assistant shopping centre manager, was himself wounded by grenade shrapnel when he took part in the final assault on Mount Harriet during the Falklands War.

He said: "I remember seeing the collection boxes at the end of every bar. The country was right behind the forces then and I think we have a bigger need now, more than ever before, to support our forces.

"People need to be aware. We see the funerals coming back but we now have made such advances in our battlefield casualty evacuation system that you can be back to Sellyoak in 24 hours of losing two legs.

"They need long-term support and so do their families."

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Mr Coulthard spent many winters in Norway where he learned to ski with the Royal Marines but only took up roller skiing earlier this year to keep fit.

He said many Yorkshire families with Royal Marine connections could support or even benefit from help from the Trust Fund.