A cop who is tasked with breaking the cycle of bad behaviour in Dumbarton saddled up recently and raised thousands of pounds for a good cause.
PC Brian Marsland, who serves as the town’s Antisocial Behaviour Liaison Officer, was part of a 22 strong group of cyclists who got on their bikes and rode almost 250 miles from Auchterarder to Harrogate.
The riders raised over £25,000 for the Police Treatment Centre Psychological charity which has two residential rehabilitation centres, one in Perthshire and the other in Yorkshire.
The charity was set up to provide treatment and support — including physiotherapy and rehabilitation — for serving and retired officers who are ill or injured.
Brian was one of two Police Scotland officers who took part and the other was Andrew Whitlie from Edinburgh. Between them they raised over £3000.
“I’ve had many great days out on the bike, but this was, by far, the best day I’ve spent in the saddle and all for a very worthwhile cause”, Brian admitted.
“Andy and I would like to personally thank all our supporters and those who donated towards the grand total.
“This will go such a long way to assisting and getting the much needed programme up and running”
The officers from 17 different forces completed the 249-mile-ride from the residential Police Treatment Centre in Scotland to the other in Yorkshire, in a time of just 16 hours and 11 minutes, raising money for its Psychological Wellbeing Programme.
The charity is supported primarily by donations from officers and treatment is free-of-charge to those who make a monthly donation to the charity.
Brian added: “This was a fantastic event to be involved in from the months of preparation right up to arriving at Harrogate on Saturday evening. The team were superb throughout and the conditions on the day could not have been better.
“We were supported all the way from Auchterarder to Harrogate by so many members of the public as we passed through the many towns and villages en-route which was fabulous to see.”
