Joe Winch is a climber and mountaineer who summited Mount Everest in 2019 with 65 Degrees North and is the CEO of Climb 2 Recovery – a charity that supports seriously wounded service people and veterans through a year-round programme of adaptive climbing and mountaineering across the UK and Alps.
Joe was medically discharged from the Royal Marines with Complex PTSD as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2021, a condition he has frequently and very publicly written and spoken about to raise awareness and educate others.
He has also engaged and been involved with the Defence Select Committee, and the Quinquennial Review into the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme, to help make substantial changes to the way veterans suffering psychological injuries are supported.
Alongside his good friend, Jon White, Joe co-wrote and delivers the RMA-The Royal Marines Charity Commando Mindset resilience training package. This allows him to share many of the important lessons he has learnt through his recovery, climbing Everest, building Climb 2 Recovery and changing government policy towards veterans with PTSD.
Joe is a proud supporter of RMA-The Royal Marines Charity, which he says “has done more to support me and my family since my injuries in 2017 than any other organisation”. Since then, Joe has variously volunteered, fundraised, written impact reports and case studies, attended and spoken at formal events for the Charity.
“As an Ambassador, I am honoured and greatly looking forward to continuing to champion and bring attention to, the unparalleled and extremely valuable work of RMA-The Royal Marines Charity.”
None of this would have been, or would be, possible for Joe if it wasn’t for the incredible patience, support and love of his wife Amy, who Joe credits as being the single most important person in his recovery.