Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Greg helps recreate WWI trench life to raise funds
Poppyscotland to benefit from money raised
A Coatbridge man spent a weekend living in a recreated World War I trench to raise funds for Poppyscotland.
Greg Woods joined forces with Stewart and Drew Crichton, of Baillieston, and friend Joe McMahon from the Glasgow At War group for the unique challenge.
They ate, slept, worked and patrolled the trench – at the Digging In site in Pollok Park – as the soldiers of a century ago would have done, to collect £300 for the veterans’ charity.
Fundraising team members took on the troops’ routine tasks including keeping watch in turn and repairing damaged uniforms, plus cooking, shaving and sleeping.
They also answered questions from visitors to a Digging In open day, who were visiting the Glasgow education and outreach project site where WWI trenches have been reconstructed to illustrate “the human experiences of the conflict and its impact on society”.
Greg and his fellow participants were also assisted by friends Ian Shields, Jude Coles, Ciaran Mcelhinney and David Willey.
Fundraiser Stewart said: “Our group has portrayed the Great War in various guises for many years and done several different things to raise money over that time.
“The trench area was set up to be as lived-in as possible, placing weapons, ammo boxes, supply crates and the like along the fire step, and our medic set up his aid post in its dugout.
“At least one man kept watch at any given time, and we even simulated a patrol creeping through no-man’s land.
“While we can’t replicate the danger and risk these brave men and women faced during the war, we can at least simulate some of the day- to- day hardships they went through to try and better understand the sacrifices they made.”
Poppyscotland head of fundraising Gordon Michie said: “Raising money by doing a sponsored sleepout in a WWI trench is a great idea as well as being a reminder of what the people on the front line went through.
“I’ve seen many different fundraising events, but this is one of the most unique; the money raised by the group will provide life-changing help to our armed forces community in Scotland today.”