From beds on trains to sandwiches in Bristol, teams taking part in the Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity’s Race Across the UK (RATUK) have already been overwhelmed by acts of kindness as they make their way from Dartmouth to Inverness.
The 23 teams set off from Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth at 10.30am yesterday, beginning an epic challenge inspired by the BBC’s Race Across the World.
With no cars, no flights and no map apps, teams must race from checkpoint to checkpoint using their wits, public transport and, occasionally, a cheeky favour or two, all while raising money for the Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity (RNRMC).
Each team is also working with a limited budget to get them all the way to Inverness, meaning every penny counts and racers have to think creatively about how they travel, eat and find somewhere to rest along the way. It makes the generosity they have encountered throughout the Race all the more valuable.
Although, one team did manage to get the Race off to a rather literal flying start. Team Nauti Girls called in a favour and hopped aboard a helicopter from BRNC to Plymouth, giving them quite the head start on their journey!
From there, teams made their way to their first checkpoint at Burnham Thorpe in Norfolk, the birthplace of Admiral Lord Nelson, before being handed their next secret destination.
But while there is plenty of friendly competition, one of the biggest stories of the Race so far has been the generosity teams have encountered along the way.
Train station night managers have opened up trains to give weary racers somewhere to get some much-needed sleep, while public transport providers have offered teams free travel after seeing their RNRMC letters and hearing about the challenge.
Near Burnham Thorpe, villagers and complete strangers opened their homes to two teams, offering them somewhere warm and comfortable to rest for the night before getting back on the road.
And in Bristol, RFA comrades rallied around Team RFA, sending them on their way with an on-the-go dinner of sandwiches, muffins, fruit and drinks to keep them fuelled for the miles ahead.
With budgets tight and a long way still to go, every free journey, meal and place to sleep makes a real difference, helping teams stretch their funds that little bit further and keep moving towards the finish line.
These moments of generosity have become just as much a part of the adventure as the racing itself.The teams are now on their way to their next mystery location, with the route between Dartmouth and Inverness remaining strictly under wraps. Racers only discover where they are going next when they reach each checkpoint, so there are still plenty of surprises to come.
A huge thank you from everyone at the RNRMC to every person, family, station team, transport provider, establishment, company, colleague and complete stranger who has helped our racers so far. Whether you have offered a lift in spirits, a journey, a meal or simply somewhere to rest a weary head, your kindness is helping our teams keep moving, make their limited budgets go further and support a fantastic cause along the way.
The Race may be a competition, but if the first 24 hours are anything to go by, the kindness of people across the UK could be the real winner.
