Over £11,000 raised for military and police charities in Pillars of Hercules challenge

A team of officers from the Royal Gibraltar Police, Greater Manchester Police, and Lancashire Constabulary raised over £11,000 for military and police benevolent charities after completing a one-day hike across both summits of the mythical Pillars of Hercules.

A team of 24 scaled Jebel Musa in Morocco (Mons Abyla) and the Rock of Gibraltar (Mons Calpe) within the same day.

Most of the participants are former members of the Armed Forces and carried out the event under the Armed Forces Covenant banner.

The event was led by Royal Gibraltar Police, Superintendent Paul Chipolina and from the Greater Manchester Police, Inspector James Jones.

They were joined by Commander British Forces Gibraltar, Commodore Tom Guy, and the now retired Commissioner of Police, Richard Ullger, during the Gibraltar leg of the hike.

The group began their journey with an early breakfast in Tangier, followed by travel to the town of Belyounech at the base of Jebel Musa.

The ascent and descent of Jebel Musa took just over four hours. After returning to Gibraltar via Ceuta, Algeciras and La Linea, the team continued the second half of their challenge, completing the Rock of Gibraltar climb just before sunset.

“After months of planning, the event proved to be a great success, not just in terms of almost doubling our original fundraising intentions, but also because of the great camaraderie and team spirit that evolved from several online meetings between complete strangers into a great day of teamwork, lots of banter and a fantastic outcome,” said Superintendent Chipolina.

He highlighted the logistical challenges of coordinating transport and timing across multiple borders and acknowledged the support received from various sponsors and contributors, including MH Bland/Calypso Tours Ltd, Grafix Sign Centre, Balearia Ferries, Autocares Dominguez, JT Security Ltd, Wastage Products Ltd, Lewis Stagnetto Ltd and the IPA Gibraltar Section.

The challenge concluded with a barbecue at the International Police Association Gibraltar Section premises.