‘Project Give More’ launching at AFC Harrogate this month

19 July 2023

A series of fast-paced fundraising events in aid of SSAFA and three other charities will take place in Harrogate later this month and into early August.

Called “Project Give More”, the fundraisers take place at the Army Foundation College Harrogate (AFC) with teams of junior soldiers representing five companies – Alamein, Burma, Cambrai, Peninsula, and Waterloo – competing against each other in this inaugural annual event.

Managing Project Give More is Corporal Rob Chamberlain, who said: “The idea behind Project Give More is to teach Junior Soldiers, at the very start of their careers, the huge value in selfless commitment and philanthropy, with the intention that they carry this with them throughout their military careers.

“The basic mechanism behind it is that all five companies of Junior Soldiers have collectively designed and created their own charity event, chosen which charity they would like to raise money for, and have begun fundraising.”

Cpl Chamberlain added that the company raising the greatest amount will win the Project Give More cup, which will be held within that Company HQ until the following year’s events where the series will recommence with a new cohort of Junior Soldiers.

Events as follows:

July 27 Cambrai Company

Junior Soldiers will conduct a combined 617-kilometre log run. This equates to the total distance from AFC to the site of the Battle of Cambrai.

August 1 Alamein Company

This company’s cohort will honour the Allied casualties and losses of the Battle of El Alamein by cycling 54,000 calories on stationary bikes. This is equivalent to burning two calories for every casualty or life lost.

August 1 Peninsula Company

Junior Soldiers are running 1,815 kilometres in fancy dress This equates to the total distance from AFC to the Iberian Peninsula, where British Forces fought during the Peninsular War from 1807 to 1814.

August 2 Burma Company

This company will commemorate the British forces who endured a 1,000-mile fighting retreat in the Burma campaign between 1941-1945 by cycling 1,000 miles on stationary bikes.

August 2 Waterloo Company

Waterloo Company’s Junior Soldiers will do 22,000 press-ups, one press-up for each Allied life lost or casualty throughout the Battle of Waterloo.