Truro and Falmouth MP Sarah Newton walked across her constituency this weekend, raising money to enable locally based charity Turn to Starboard to take part in the 2014 Falmouth to Greenwich Tall Ships race.

Sarah Newton set up the Tall Ships Challenge in 2008 to raise funds to enable 12 young people from the Falmouth area to take part in the last Tall Ships Regatta. For her 2014 Challenge Sarah organised the sponsored walk to support Turn to Starboard, a Cornish charity that supports serving and former armed forces personnel to deal with experiences they have encountered on military operations. The charity teaches sailing and maritime skills, boosting confidence and employability whilst providing contact with the therapeutic forces of the natural world.

The funds raised by Mrs Newton’s walk are being used to pay for a group from Turn to Starboard to take part in the Tall Ships Race this August aboard Tall Ship Pelican.

Mrs Newton was joined by Turn to Starboard founder Shaun Pascoe and local residents on her walk, which began on Saturday morning at St Anthony’s Head, on the southern tip of the Roseland Peninsula. The group then walked up the Roseland coastline abutting Carrick Roads before heading to Truro where they broke for the evening. On the Sunday morning the walk continued up the valley of the Allen River before heading overland to Holywell Bay on the north coast, the group’s final destination. Commenting on the walk Mrs Newton said: ‘‘I am delighted to have completed my Tall Ships Challenge for 2014 and am very grateful to everyone who joined me for the hike of just under 30 miles.

“We all enjoyed each other's company and were really lucky with the weather and the scenery was of course stunning.

‘Tremendous thanks are due to all those who gave so generously, I am pleased to report we have raised over £2,500 in total. This money will help some of the brave service men and women Turn to Starboard work with to take part in the amazing experience that is the Tall Ships race. We all owe a considerable debt to our military community and it was great to be able to give something back to those who have given so much themselves.

“I look forward very much to the race in August and to hearing about the experiences of the Turn to Starboard crew members being able to take part through the generosity of local residents.’’

Those on the walk included James Mustoe, Amy Sawicz, Helen Pickering, Sarah Newton, Shaun Pascoe, Chris Knock, Alan Newton.