I am heading off to the wilderness

Yukon 700 has been designed as an epic and ambitious adventure, testing both physical and mental endurance. It will showcase the amazing courage and fortitude of a team of Grenadier Guardsmen who were injured, both physically and mentally, whilst serving their Queen and country.

These wounded veterans served in numerous conflicts around the world, from Northern Ireland to Bosnia to Iraq and Afghanistan. All, and many others, will continue to require support on their recovery journey throughout their lives. The injured members of the group have suffered a variety of wounds, physical and mental, ranging from amputations to severe sight impairment and PTSD. They share in common not just the bonds of comradeship but a determination not to be defined by their injury or disability, and that - if well supported and motivated by all of us in the greater community - they can achieve great things.

In June 2022, this team of 8 Grenadiers, 5 of whom have life changing injuries, will take to open canoes and paddle 700km along the Yukon River between Whitehorse and Dawson City in Northwest Canada. The team will follow the route of the original settlers and prospectors who first ventured into this wilderness in the early 19th Century. Using open canoes much like these first pioneers, although made of Kevlar not wood, they will be completely self-sufficient throughout, carrying everything they need with them. For 7 days they will navigate their way through the Yukon waterways for approximately 16 hours per day, camping overnight on islands.?

The Yukon River meanders through one of the last great wildernesses on the planet, passing hundreds of miles of vast forests, barren tundra and jagged mountain peaks. Mapping is almost non-existent. Locked in ice for 9 months of the year, at its widest the river is 22km and at its narrowest 300m with currents varying between 6 to 14mph. Their greatest dangers will come from the river’s false channels and tributaries and hidden obstacles. Wildlife, in the form of bears, elk and wolves, must be treated with respect.

It is well documented that expeditions such as this, which provide both an intense physical and mental challenge, help the long-term recovery process of wounded soldiers taking part. The individuals involved feel part of a team again; often something missing after they have been discharged from the Army. Above all, the expedition will give them a sense of real achievement that serves to reinforce their self-confidence and sense of worth

In aid of the Grenadier Guards Charity (no.1062257), SSAFA (no. 210760) and Combat Stress (no. 206002).

?www.justgiving.com/fundraising/yukon-700