Values of Co-Operation and Collaboration
Stu Prince was born in 1959, the eldest of four children. School was not of great concern to Stu and he left barely literate, finding brief work in a fairground and various factories...
He suffered a breakdown as a young adult.
One day following this event, he went to have a cup of coffee in an adult education centre because it was cheaper there than in Crewe town!
This was the day that changed his life...
Stu regained the passion he had known as a seven year old boy for learning and writing.
He went on to gain a Degree in Sociology and Social Anthropology and later a Masters Degree at Birmingham University and a Post Graduate Diploma in Counselling at Keele University.
Stu then practiced as a counsellor for over a decade...
It was after stopping counselling that his on/off passion for running, and his need for direction, led him to have the idea of Barry the Baton and a relay around the Coastline of Britain...
The core values of the relay were co- operation and collaboration; without which this amazing event would not have happened...
Here Stu tells us about this incredible journey....
It was the year 2010, and a little wooden baton named Barry, was heading north towards Blackpool Tower.
He was in the careful hands of over a dozen runners.
In May that year, the fresh brand new Barry had rather unexpectedly, taken off from the iconic monument in an attempt to weave his way around The Coast of Great Britain.
It had all begun on the Runner's World forum with a simple (if the truth be known 'alcohol induced') question...
'Is a relay all around the coastline of Britain possible?'
Thanks to the efforts of some very dedicated runners and the creation of our whittled wonder, the answer came in most unusual and special ways...
The event was like nothing that had ever gone before.
There was no elite bunch of organisers dictating the route and allocating who does what.
There was no big backing nor massive charity involvement.
There was me (Stu) with the idea, Colin Wood with a chisel and a bit of scrap timber destined for Bolton Council, a fella that could do a website and tracker; and then a collection of bodies willing to co-ordinate runners around each bit of coast, only of course, 'if' we get Barry the Baton as far as them...
Runner's World editors were slow to embrace the idea and publicity negligent at the time and sparse thereafter.
In spite of odds looking very unfavourable, Barry started his adventure on May 9th 2010, watched by forum members, some of whom had already fallen in love with him.
Barry etched his mark in earnest on the coast of Britain; and a mad scramble for bodies to fill stretches ensued...
As the pictures rolled in and the cuteness and charisma of Barry got a hold, volunteers emerged, all with the common goal to get Barry a little further on in his journey. Never before had the actual baton become personified and played an active part in a relay.
Never in the history of sport has a baton won hearts and minds, let alone, been the major vehicle of the event’s success.
With Coasters GB that was exactly what happened.
We were getting round fuelled by a love of running and a community spirit... but... also because nobody wanted to let Barry down!
Magical things were happening within groups of people; for instance in Peterhead a competition for school children to draw Barry was created... the prize...?
The opportunity to take Barry a little further on his journey.
Grown men and women happily posed with him, or took him to the pub whilst waiting for the next runner.
Barry even found himself igniting romance between a couple of strangers.
There was a something special developing among the participants and Barry was at the centre of it.
I would happily wager that Barry was the most photographed piece of wood in 2010!
Everywhere Barry went there was a smiling face close by - or smiling open hearts...when the effort of running induced grimaces on the face instead!
One or two, more serious participants found the anthropomorphism a little difficult but they still held onto Barry for dear life and everyone was photographed with a smile whatever Barry was wearing.
Barry was beating Britain’s coast in the most extraordinary way, with some extraordinary personal and collective efforts and a spirit not seen since The Blitz years...
'Barry Beats Britain –The Coasters GB Story' tells the tale of Barry’s adventure in the first ever relay to have been organised purely through social media.
It is a tale of danger, uncompromising weather, romance and camaraderie fuelled by a love for running and a love for a seven inch piece of Old English Oak with a face...
Four years on, Barry has his own facebook fan club and he has guested in events as far afield as Australia, Antarctica and Texas.
He is about to guest at the wedding of Kevin and Jill who met during the relay.
You can read all about Coasters GB and Barry’s adventures by ordering 'Barry Beats Britain' from Blurb
http://www.blurb.co.uk/b/5273009-barry-beats-britain
