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Headline: From London to Oman: Walking With The Wounded Celebrate Team Embarking on The Grenadier Walk of Oman

Caption: PICTURE SHOWS: (Left to Right) Sean Gane, Andrew Phillips, Ashley Winter, David Adams, Brian O’Neill and Ben McComb The countdown is on. Just 10 weeks remain until a team of five ex-military personnel and one member still currently serving embark on an epic trek across the Omani desert in what will be their toughest challenge yet. To celebrate the team taking part, Walking With The Wounded (WWTW) hosted an official launch event to acknowledge what will be a memorable adventure. Hosted at the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) in London – the oldest regiment in the British Army, dating back to 1537 - on 9th September 2020, the evening which was compliant with all social distancing and COVID-19 event regulations, shone a spotlight on the ongoing hard work and commitment of the six candidates who are involved in the expedition and the challenge that lies ahead. Attended by the charity’s partners and Expedition Partners, guests were treated to a special video from The Duke of Sussex in his role as the official Expedition Patron. Discussing the difficult trek that lies ahead of the team participating in the Grenadier Walk of Oman, The Duke of Sussex shared a message of good luck and highlighted the continued support WWTW provides to ex-servicemen and women. The event gave those in attendance the opportunity to hear first-hand from the six team members what The Grenadier Walk of Oman means to them and why it was important they joined the walk. An already ambitious trek across the Arabian desert will be made even tougher as the team pull a custom-built cart weighing in excess of 100kg with the supplies they will need for the 21-day expedition, testing the teams willpower and teamwork. Starting on the 20th November and ending on the 11th December the team, all of whom suffer physical or psychological injuries from their time in Service, will trek between 20km to 22km per day. Temperatures will reach 95°F and around 550,000 steps will be taken across the Omani desert. Lead expedition Partner INEOS Automotive also showcased their Grenadier 4x4 vehicle to guests. The Grenadier is being built to overcome any terrain and will be the partners first production vehicle built to handle the world’s toughest environments. Ed Parker, CEO of WWTW said: “It’s an honour to celebrate the team who will be tackling The Grenadier Walk of Oman expedition. The expedition is not going to be easy but the strength, courage and resolve of the team taking part has and continues to be an inspiration. Each of them faces their own challenges, and have been physically, mentally, or socially disadvantaged since serving, however, together they will cross the Omani desert.' "Since Walking With The Wounded was founded 10 years ago, we have taken teams of ex-servicemen and women to the North Pole, South Pole, Everest and across Britain and the USA. The Grenadier Walk of Oman marks our 5th international expedition and another fantastic opportunity to showcase the grit, determination, and resilience of those who served. We are excited to be working together with our incredible expedition Partners as we raise awareness and highlight why we need to support our ex-servicemen and women as they transition from the Armed Forces into civilian life.” Other partners supporting the charity and sponsoring the expedition include Global Energy Drink Brand Monster Energy, Satellite Communications Specialists Avanti Communications, British Outdoor Clothing Brand Craghoppers, leading wealth and asset manager Shard Capital and the Invictus Games Foundation. The Grenadier Walk of Oman is further supported by the Royal Office of HM Sultan Haitham bin Tariq and is in partnership with the Omani Armed Forces.

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