EVENTS
“It was a great pleasure to work with the Freemen of Newcastle on the 2021 Great North Run. Without their support, the event would not have happened and I’m sure I speak for all involved when I say it was an amazing and successful event”.
GREAT NORTH RUN
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t was our great pleasure to work with the Great North Run organisers again this Summer. Due to Covid considerations the decision was made to start and end the run on our amazing Town Moor. This meant a great deal of extra work for our Town Moor Superintendent and his team, but everyone involved agreed it was a worthwhile and rewarding experience. Our cover star this issue is Keith Hall (Master Mariners, Colliers), a Freeman of the City who has been a valued member of the Stewards Committee for over 20 years and is Chairman of the Town Moor Money Charity. This was Keith’s 30th Great North Run and the organisers arranged for his allocated running number to be 80 to commemorate his 80th birthday this year. You can find his fabulous media interview on our Facebook page and on our website www.freemenofnewcastle.org Keith has raised many £1000’s for charity over the years; his chosen charity this year was the Parachute Regiment Association, Tyneside Branch. A proud Parachute Regiment
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Freemen Magazine
Nigel Gough, Race Operations Director for the Great North Run
Keith Hall making new friends – with Andy Burnham, MP Greater Manchester
veteran, this is a charity very close to his heart. Keith joined the RAF parachute training school at Abingdon Berks and trained on static balloons and Hastings and Beverly Aircraft. Keith told us “The RAF instructors decided that with the aircraft flying at 120 mph and just over 1,000 feet high they would “ask me to leave the aircraft!” this happened some eight times over that month. Eight jumps mean you gain your “wings”. Over the next three years my total came to around 30 aircraft exits. So, I have a great affinity with the RAF, they looked after me well in my late teens
Lou Talintyre
and early 20s, however the Parachute Regiment was my home” Lou Talintyre (Cordwainers) completed her very first Great North Run on the same day. Proud Freeman, Lou wore the Freeman crest on the front of her vest and her Cordwainer Company crest on the back. Well done Lou!
Freemen Magazine
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