Wiltshire’s bobsleighing butcher set for hair-raising run
Wiltshire’s bobsleighing butcher set for hair-raising run
Devizes butcher Steve Cook has bobbed up in some unusual places in his time but nothing to compare with an escapade he has planned for next week – which will see him hurtling down a bobsleigh run at speeds of more than 80mph.
L to R: Rebekah Wilson, Paula Walker’s brake lady, John Jackson, Paula Walker (GB Ladies No. 1 bobsleigh pilot) and Steve Cook (partner in Walter Rose and Son). Front rightt is Andrew Farrow, a disabled sailor that Walter Rose and Son have also sponsored. Picture by Tom Dryden-Kelsey.
But Steve, who runs the award winning Walter Rose and Son butchery business in Devizes and Trowbridge, isn’t too worried about the prospect because he’ll be sat right behind Britain’s number one Olympic bobsleigh pilot, John Jackson.
John, who’s GB team finished fifth in the four man bob at the Sochi Winter Olympics , lives in Trowbridge with his partner, Paula Walker – and both are sponsored by Walter Rose and Son.
John and Paula brought one of the four man bobsleighs to Walter Rose’s Devizes shop before setting off for the Olympic qualifying events. The idea was to meet and talk to some of Steve’s customers and help promote the health benefits of his top quality, locally sourced, meat – but it was then that the challenge was thrown down for Steve to join them on one of the hair-raising helter-skelter runs.
“It’s the chance of a lifetime. I’ve always been drawn to sports involving thrills and spills so when Paula sent me a chance email looking for sponsorship it instantly appealed to my nature. Maybe I had the idea at the back of my mind that there might just be the opportunity of a run on the bob – now it’s a dream come true, I’m really excited about it,” said Steve.
After showing early promise, John’s GB 1 team finished just a tenth of a second outside the medals but for Steve its still going to be thrills – and, hopefully, not too many spills – all the way.
“The BBC have asked me to wear a microphone on the run down – now that should make for some interesting broadcasting,” said Steve who flies out to meet John and his teammates at Innsbruck this weekend.
