Supacat Passing The Baton
11-07-2023The Bastion Baton was founded in 2009 by Alan Rowe, MBE. Supacat, utilising their impressive engineering capabilities, enabled the mechanical designers to engineer the end caps for the Batons successfully. This was a challenging task due to the asymmetrical profiles.
The Baton is a remarkable military charity that in 14 years has never taken wages, or will, advocates for veterans and their families, ensuring they receive the necessary support and rehabilitation for any physical or psychological injuries sustained while serving in the Armed Forces. Their efforts help raise awareness and assist those who rightfully deserve it.
The Baton holds a more profound meaning beyond being just a handle for a military stretcher. It symbolises courage, a virtue rooted in the experiences of those who have fought battles that most of us cannot even imagine, whether in their professional or personal lives. Its purpose is to be passed from one caring hand to another, spreading its message far and wide to keep it alive.
According to Phil Applegarth, the Director of Supacat, “Refurbishing the two Batons is not a new task for us. We are honoured to pass The Batons from one colleague to another to bring The Batons back to life.
Not long ago, four Royal Marines undertook a perilous journey of 3,700 miles across the Atlantic, carrying one of The Batons. As we facilitate its onward journey, this symbolic object now gets a new lease of life.”
Alan Rowe, MBE, the Founder and Trustee of The Baton, has praised Supacat for their ongoing efforts in refurbishing the charity’s symbol since its inception in 2009. The Baton has endured a lot of wear and tear, mainly when it was carried during the 3,000-cycle Race across America. It was never dropped despite being passed from one person to another 500 times. By the end of the race, metal spring clips held the baton together, and hardly any paint was left on it.
Alan Rowe expressed his gratitude, “Stephan Addicott for the recent refurbishment of the Batons. A lady and her mother will soon take one of these batons to an RAF grave in Belgium, where a crew member (the lady’s uncle) is buried. Local people tend to the grave as a gratitude for the crew’s sacrifice during World War II.”
Picture below Alan Rowe MBE Founder and Trustee of The Bastion Baton and Stephan Addicott Paint Shop Area Lead
Picture below The Baton before and after refurbishment
The Batons will now embark on their next journey from a once war-torn battlefield to new hands, spreading the message that the stretcher serves without discrimination, something we should all remember.
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