Edition 62
As a valued supporter, we are pleased to bring you up-to-speed with a weekly round-up of activities from RMA – The Royal Marines Charity and the wider Corps Family.
This week, we bring you news from the highest peaks; share feedback from some inspirational conquering heroes, and highlight the Charity’s crucial role in promoting positive mental health.
Thank you as always for your continued support.
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Devolved Nations’ support
Our Chief Exec, Ben Curry (pictured right), together with the Charity’s Devolved Nations Veterans Strategy Manager Si Giles, have been up in Scotland this week where they met with Susie Hamilton, the Scottish Veterans Commissioner in Edinburgh.
During a very informative meeting, Susie updated them on developments in veterans’ affairs across Scotland and, in turn, Ben briefed Susie on our own progress within the Devolved Nations in delivering a tailored service to the Royal Marines Community, especially referencing that provided in Scotland.
Done and dusted – 482 miles, 3 peaks, 9 days!
Just before midnight on Monday (21st August), and having battled the wind and rain earlier in the evening on Snowdon, Ben Clough ,who is a RM Physical Training Instructor at Commando Training Centre Royal Marines, ran into Llanberis Railway Station and into the arms of a very proud father.
This special moment marked the end of Ben’s extraordinary endurance challenge ‘with a twist’ – running 482 miles from Scotland to Wales and climbing the three highest peaks in the UK – all in nine consecutive days.
He ran an average 50 miles daily, and in summiting Ben Nevis, Cumbria’s Scafell Pike and Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) on days one, five and nine, climbed a total elevation of 14,500 meters (47,592 feet) – more than one and a half times the height of Mount Everest!
To date, Ben has raised almost £13,000 for two charities close to his heart, RMA – The Royal Marines Charity and the mental health charity, MIND. This tally is still increasing by the hour as the news of his terrific achievement spreads far and wide.
He said: “ ‘Summit Attack’ was definitely the biggest challenge I’ve done to date. I finished way under schedule so was definitely shifting throughout each day. It was very mentally draining and I had a few niggles physically but a solid mindset made me get the job done. Now I need to concentrate on getting my body moving properly again – and catch up on all the calories I missed along the way!”
How to put into words how incredibly privileged and thankful RMA – The Royal Marines Charity is to have so many exceptional individuals like Ben: to properly thank all those who continually go the extra mile in doing such amazing things to raise the much-needed funds so we can continue to offer life-long support to the Corps Family?
Just masses and masses of humble heartfelt ‘thank you’s”.
Paddle power
We salute, too, the successful completion earlier this month of another epic fundraising challenge, Former RM John Holden is now back home having kayaked the length of the Danube River (2,400km – 1,491 miles) and finally making it to the Black Sea.
His tough ‘Big Blue Danube’ journey took him through seven countries, and he battled intense heat, swarms of mosquitos, and endured the physical toll of paddling for 45 days straight.
Huge thanks – another terrific accomplishment!
Supporting mental health
Last year, RMA – The Royal Marines Charity directly affected the lives of many beneficiaries by promoting positive mental health. The Charity supported 110 veterans and/or their dependents through our Veterans’ Mental Health Referral Pathway, that included helping five individuals In Scotland gain access to 60 sessions of bespoke mental health therapy.
And as part of our volunteer support network, our Health & Wellbeing team trained a further 23 volunteers to be peer support workers. We are now privileged to have a fully trained 51-strong team covering the entire UK, being their eyes and ears, and supporting and signposting the most vulnerable members of our RM family.
We can all improve our own mental health and wellbeing. It’s essential to our living happy and healthy lives, and can help us sleep better, feel better. Exercise, too, has great benefits for mental health as it releases ‘feel-good’ endorphins.
The message? Do more of what makes you happy – and do not suffer in silence, ‘Lift the lid’… speak to someone and utilise the support available
Sign up for triple treats
Looking for an early Halloween work out?! If so, why not sign up for RMA – The Royal Marines Charity’s The Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge taking place on 21st October?!
The 24-mile (38.6km) ‘round-trip’ routing includes 1,585m (5,200ft) of ascent taking in the peaks of Pen-y-Ghent (694 metres), Whernside (736 metres) and Ingleborough (723 metres) – usually in this order – and in under 12 hours. The hills form part of the Pennine range and encircle the head of the valley of the River Ribble, in the Yorkshire Dales National Park.