This year’s ROC 5K charity fun run in Truro will benefit from a real five star prize donated by sponsor Great Western Railway (GWR).
The participants who raise the most money will be entitled to drive a GWR high speed train at 125 miles per hour using a state of the art simulation system.
The ROC 5K takes place after work on Tuesday, June 28, starting and finishing at Truro’s Lemon Quay.
The event raises funds for ROC Welcome, a social club for vulnerable local people with learning disabilities based at Truro College.
Last year’s ROC 5K was a sell-out occasion, with 400 community-spirited individuals and teams from all over the county taking part, raising in excess of £13k.
The event’s top fundraiser(s) will be entitled to drive a GWR high speed train at 125 miles per hour. The prize can either be won by the top four individuals or by a team of four. Unfortunately, due to Health & Safety, the experience will not be on a real train, but a simulation system used by GWR for driver training and assessment.
Will Parham is a member of ROC Welcome, the charity’s social club. His dad, John, said: “One of Will’s very special interests is trains and GWR trains in particular. The best days of Will’s week are at Penzance and Truro stations where, with support, he really enjoys the constructive work GWR give him to do – like putting out seat reservations and carriage labels at Penzance and working on the ‘gateline’ at Truro.
“Best of all, we’ve just heard that Will’s role is to be extended to include days on the St Ives branch line.”