Father's challenge helps injured troops (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Father's challenge helps injured troops

10:00am Thursday 13th September 2012 in News By Rachel Ryan

A FATHER whose soldier son was shot and wounded while serving in Afghanistan has put himself through a gruelling challenge and raised £6,500.

Michael Quinn has spent the past year completing 214 Wain-wright summits and 15 rock climbs, listed in Ken Wilson’s Classic Rock book, to say ‘thank you’ for the help his family were given by the Royal Marines Charitable Trust (RMCT) after his eldest son Tom was wounded one year ago.

The 66-year-old has walked 535 miles and scaled 163,500-feet to raise the cash for the RMCT.

Mr Quinn, of Windermere, has taken more than 240 hours to complete the challenge and his efforts will help injured marines, as well as providing help to those who have been left disabled or without limbs.

Last Saturday, Mr Quinn stood on the summit of Latrigg, above Keswick, and sipped a glass of champagne to celebrate his achievement - a stark contrast to the same time last year when two marines came to his office to give him the shocking news that his soldier son had been shot.

“I have really enjoyed it. The weather was the best it has been on Saturday,” said Mr Quinn.

“The weather in October, November and December was dreadful and it was hard work but I knew I had to tick more walks off and had to keep going.”

The Lakeland Ltd worker said that he has met lots of nice and generous people along the way with one man handing over £20 while he was waiting at a bus stop in Grasmere.

“I have raised more than double what I set out to which is just fantastic and it just shows that people are prepared to make an effort for a good cause, which is fabulous.

“The money will help the charity in opening a rehabilition centre, housing for disabled servicemen, providing support as well as prosthetic limbs, which I was surprised to be told that over a lifetime can cost up to £500,000 for an active person,” said Mr Quinn, whose son is now back with his unit in Plymouth after intense rehabilitation.