Former Royal Marines Commando to row 10,000 metres on rowing machine to support veterans

He aims to do it in eight hours

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A former Royal Marines Commando is aiming to row more than twice the length of the English Channel to support veterans. Sean Phelps, a former Royal Marines Commando who fought in Iraq in 1991 and Northern Ireland in 1996, has set himself the epic challenge to support the David Ellis charity.

The Portland resident aims to row 100,000 metres in eight hours on his static rower outside The Beehive Cafe at Victoria Square on Portland on Saturday, August 5. Sean told Dorset Live he is relishing the challenge on his rower and recognised the importance of supporting veterans who are struggling to adjust to life outside the military.

He said: "It is a charity that helps people in the Armed Forces that have mental health issues or have fallen on hard times. I know a lot of people who help run it, the charity does great work and I know people who have benefited from it."

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The charity aims to support armed forces veterans, their families and those still serving, across Dorset. For Sean, rowing is an exercise that "helps his grey matter" and really helped him with his mental health. "It is one of the things that helps me", he said. "I didn’t realise it at first, but once you’ve warmed up and in that steady state, your mind wonders and it is great.

"I did a 30k last Saturday as a training row and I did it with a lad I knew and we talked the whole way through. The more people I can chat with the better as I can take my mind off the pain!"

Sean will be based outside the Beehive in the seating area with another rowing machine, with multiple donation buckets for people to donate spare change. In encouraging people to come to support him, he said: "The more the merrier for support.

"I am going to have a spare rowing machine there but it is also there for people to have a go and see how easy it is. I am also going to be on it for eight hours and happy to chat to people while I row!"

To donate to his fundraiser or for more information, visit this link.

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