Birdman lends a helping hand

Manama : The Llongsteppers cycling section of the British Club represented by its treasurer Simon Cox and section member Andrew Savage, yesterday handed over a cheque for BD3,000 to the Chaplain, Mission to Seafarers’ The Reverand Stephen Thanapaul in the presence of the Dean of St Christopher’s Cathedral The Very Reverend Christopher Butt.

The cash raised was from last month’s 23rd British Club Annual Birdman Competition for ‘budding aviators’ which featured around 30 participants in both children and a ‘not so grown-up’ adult category, with many wearing fancy dress and focused on popular and topical themes and personalities when they dived or jumped into the pool.

This event follows a similar contest that has taken place since 1971 in Sussex on the South of England coast where “budding aviators” attempt to fly by jumping off a pier in the English Channel.

Rev Thanapaul said, “We work with the Bahrain International Seafarers Society under the chairmanship of Captain Ali Hussain and take care of seaman who arrive in port in Bahrain offering welfare and counselling.”

Counselling is very important to the seaman as it gives them a break and a chance for listening and talking at the Seafarers’ Centre in Khalifa bin Salman Port.

“It is important the seaman can talk to somebody and enjoy recreational facilities whilst in port, while sometimes we encounter seamen who have been stranded in port or not being paid and we try to help in any way possible.”

Rev Thanapaul thanked the British Club for the cheque, “I am grateful for the efforts of the British Club to raise this sum of cash and it will go a long way in making life as comfortable as possible for the seamen whilst in port.”

Savage said, “I would like to thank the generosity of the British Club members and event supporters including the sponsors African and Eastern, Hertel Scaffolding and Domain Hotel for their wonderful support of the event.”

Cox added, “We exceeded our target and are very pleased with the effort by all who were involved on the day and delighted the money raised is going to an excellent cause.”