Police officers in Wales raise £78,000 for Help for Heroes

Police in Wales have come together to carry out a fundraising initiative that has resulted in more than £78,000 being donated to Help for Heroes.

Officers in Dyfed-Powys joined ex-military personnel and other police from around the country to generate as much cash as possible for the good cause, reports the Llanelli Star.

It told how several individuals from the police in Cross Hands were key members of the 12-man team, including Sergeant Lyn Evans, PC Alyn Lewis and PC Ian Davies.

They carried out a number of trials and challenges that revolved around a 1,283-mile cycle ride across the UK. It also involved walking, sailing and flying as they travelled across the country.

While riding from John O'Groats to Land's End might be more than enough for most charity fundraisers, the group also scaled the highest peaks in Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

What's more, they even rowed across the Irish Sea twice in order to complete the climb in Northern Ireland, underlining just how impressive their feat was. While in Wales, it included a mass skydive into Swansea.

Sergeant Evans said the group wanted to do what it could to support Help for Heroes, so doing something so out of the ordinary was always a good and attractive idea.

"It was a massive sense of achievement to complete a north to south traverse of the British Isles on pedal cycles, including climbing up the highest peaks in Scotland, Northern Ireland, England and Wales, and not forgetting rowing across the Irish Sea in a Celtic longboat," she stated.

As if their achievements were not already impressive enough, the team included several amputees who suffered injuries while serving in Afghanistan.

Peter Bowker, who was one of the disabled members of the team, added that he was keen to get involved as he wanted to take on the physical and mental challenge, which required plenty of training in advance.