Abseil Success - June 2013

IT was hard hats off to Big Jim Leishman and the Magnificent 007s from Dunfermline Rotary Club on Sunday as they Bonded together to drop 165 feet from the Forth Bridge.

South Queensferry Rotary Clubs world-famouscharity abseil did not prove a bridge too far for the Pars legend and his Rotary companions who immediately began roping in sponsorship pledges for a range of good causes, including Jims own Mary Leishman Foundation and a range of Rotary charities, including the events core beneficiaries: Maggies and Alzheimer Scotland.

The seven-strong Rotary team aggregate age 439 years launched themselves off the approach viaduct of the iconic structure in true James Bond stylenone more so than maiden abseiler Tom Arnott, a fully-paid-up member of the Fear of Heights Club.

Rotary president Bill Runciman, himself an experienced abseiler and mountaineer, said, Tom was star of the day in his dinner jacket. His was a major personal achievement and one which Im sure will be prominent in the family archive. I think we all Bonded and I am so grateful to everyone for their participation. It was good fun. Well worth repeating!

As he came back to earth Tom reflected, My mind is still in the clouds. After considerable persuasion my hand released its vice-like grip on the railings and I was off, with the first part of the drop spend staring at the rope a few inches from my nose.

The sounds of cheers from below gave me the courage to complete the trip down but there was an overwhelming sense of relief on reaching the bottom. The fear I went through is nothing compared to that teenagers with cancer must feel and that is why I did the abseil for Teenage Cancer Scotland.