Walking With The Wounded (WWTW), a military charity, has announced the final six-member team participating in The Walk of Oman expedition.
The team of David Adams, Ben McComb, Sean Gane, Brian O’Neill, Ashley Winter and Andrew Phillips were selected after a rigorous selection process which took place in Grasmere village, Lake District.
The 22-day walk is from November 20 till December 11 and the team will take on an epic trek inspired by Wilfred Thesiger (1910-2003).
Thesiger, a British military officer, travelled across the Arabian Peninsula in the 1940s, and the trek will see the team embrace the same hostile conditions in the Omani desert.
The expedition will end on December 11, the Armed Forces Day.
Formed of five ex-military personnel and one member still currently serving, all six of the team have physical or cognitive injuries and will tackle one of their toughest challenges yet, as they pull a custom-built cart weighing in excess of 300kg across the Omani desert.
The final team was chosen following a five-day selection process in which they hiked across different peaks in Grasmere, Cumbria. With the walks varying each day from 5 km to 20 km, the team was able to test their physical capabilities, while walking in an unpredictable climate and across tough terrains.
The Walk of Oman is supported by The Duke of Sussex in his role as the official Expedition Patron, along with support from the Royal Office of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik and in partnership with the Sultan of Oman’s Armed Forces. The team will be followed by a support team in case of emergencies during the course of the expedition.
The supporting partners for the expedition include INEOS, Craghoppers, Avanti Communications, Monster Energy, The Invictus Games Foundation, Shard Capital and Clinova.
Ed Parker, CEO of WWTW says: “The team faces an immense challenge ahead of them and each will be tested mentally and physically. Throughout the selection week process, each candidate embraced the task ahead and cemented the bond formed between them that will put them in good stead for the Omani desert.”
Highlighting the extraordinary courage of the men and women who have been injured, both physically and mentally, while serving their countries, the walk will showcase the need for continued support in aiding the transition from the Armed Forces into civilian life.
WWTW is a charity established to support the employment aspirations and vocational outcomes of our wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women, those who have been physically, mentally and socially disadvantaged by their service.
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