Charity hopes hundreds will take on "run with a difference" through quarry

Saturday 13 January 2024

Nearly 40 islanders have signed themselves up to get mucky in a unique obstacle race around a quarry to prove they have "true grit" so far – but the charity behind the event is hoping for many more.

Taking place on 28 April, Wetwheels' annual 'True Grit' event will see participants run around an otherwise-inaccessible area at the bottom of the pit at Ronez Quarry, with a finish line 30m below sea level.

This will be the fifth edition of the obstacle-course challenge in support of of the charity – who aspire to take it from a 200-person event to a 300-person event.

The challenge – which organiser Dina Rogan, the charity's Operations Director, explained is more a challenge than a race, and open to any fitness level – can be accomplished individually or in teams of three. There are options for teams an individual entrants, an option to skip the obstacles, and a shorter youth challenge for pupils in Year 4 and above.

The senior course is just under 5km long, while the youth option is 2km long.

Pictured: The True Grit Challenge takes runners through an obstacle course in Ronez Quarry (Rob Currie)

"It's a run with a difference," Ms Rogan said.

"The quarry is just an amazing thing. You wouldn't ordinarily be able to get a chance to see the quarry.

"And all along the course there are obstacles.

"It's a challenge, it's not a race, and people of any fitness level can do it really."

Pictured: Dina Rogan (centre) is the charity's only employee

Obstacles use tyres, sand banks, tunnels and climbing walls to add some spice to the run.

Ms Rogan added: "There is a cost to this. Last year, it cost about £13,500."

These costs were covered by sponsors, she said, and all funds raised by participants went to the charity.

Wetwheels, Ms Rogan said, provides the opportunity for people with disabilities to go on a boat trip – even arranging for participants to drive the motorboat.

They work with charities and schools, who book a trip for 10 people and bring their own staff, teachers or carers to support them.

Local primary schools also take part in trips – and some students, despite living walking distance from the sea, have never been to the beach before.

This year, Wetwheels completed around 230 trips, carrying 1,500 passengers, generally during the warmer months of the year – with trips running from April to September.

Pictured: Wetwheels' team of volunteers were nominated for a Pride of Jersey award in 2023 (Rob Currie)

The charity has 32 crew members and five skippers, all volunteers.

"The fact that they actually get to drive the boat, for many of the people who come on board, they will never be able to drive a car.

"To be able to drive a boat, which is pretty powerful, it's just very rewarding and gives them a sense of achievement."

Being at sea is good for people's mental health, she added.

"I love going out on a trip with care homes," she said, explaining how one man hadn't seen his mother smile in two years.

Having managed to coax her out for the trip, she added, "they saw a change in her".

The charity is financed primarily by trusts and foundations, with corporate supporters playing an important role as well.

True Grit is the charity's main fundraising event for the public.

Pictured: Ronez Quarry is normally closed to the public (Rob Currie)

After a recent report by the Association of Jersey Charities recently found that over a third of members had had to scale back activities and over half were surviving by using their reserves, Ms Rogan – Wetwheels' only paid employee – confirmed that the charity would have struggled to meet its costs this year had it not held its tenth anniversary gala.

Pictured: Wetwheels organise trips for a whole variety of groups - charities, care homes and school groups all benefit from their services (pic supplied)

"It's getting more and more difficult," she said, adding that events such as the marathon, and even corporate staff events, were not seeing the same participation levels as pre-pandemic.

They had also had care homes cancel trips this year because of a lack of staff, though these had been successfully rescheduled.

GET INVOLVED...

True Grit participants have to commit to raise at least £25 for the charity on top of their entry fee.

You can sign up HERE.

Pictured top: Josh Le Maistre, sister Lucy Le Maistre and Jayla Parker take part in the 2023 edition of the True Grit Wetwheels Challenge. (Rob Currie)