Caitlin Irvine left Mary Erskine in 2013 and joined the army reserves whilst studying. She is part of 71 Engineer Regiment, an army reserve regiment based in Leuchars. Caitlin’s regiment has been working on a challenge during lockdown, the details of which you can find below.
71 Engineer Regiment has undertaken the challenge of running the distance from Orkney, their most northern location to Chatham, where the headquarters of the Corps of Royal Engineers is located. The grand total of 760 miles is being run virtually by members of the Regiment who are based all over the UK. Each Squadron will be competing against each other, boosting the moral and cohesion within the Squadrons and Regiment whilst ensuring the service personnel stay fit and ready for any task, all whilst observing the government guidelines on social distancing.
The challenge also presents a fantastic opportunity to raise some much needed funds for charities close to the Regiments heart:
- The Army Benevolent Fund. They support soldiers, veterans and their families. It is the national charity of the British Army.
- The Trussell Trust. They maintain a nationwide network of food banks and provide emergency food and support for those financially struggling.
- The Scottish Association of Mental Health (SAMH), Scotland’s national mental health charity.
- Mental Health UK. They provide and organise mental health support across the country.
The charities were chosen as they directly support the local communities of those in the Regiment, and all are under increased pressures during the lockdown period.
If you wish to support the regiment, who are all doing this unpaid and in their own time, you can donate here: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-display/showROFundraiserPage?userUrl=71EngrRegt&pageUrl=1.
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