Step up and rise to the challenge with an ex-special forces team across The Royal Parks to raise money for wounded soldiers.

Pilgrim Bandits charity, a special forces charity, are taking on a 12k challenge, Who Dares Runs, around Richmond Park to raise funds for the injured troops they support, on September 2.

The ‘no sympathy’ charity are welcoming all fitness levels to put themselves into an unknown environment and ‘find out what they are made of’ to help send injured veterans on their own challenging expeditions.

Greg Hutton, London fundraiser for Pilgrim Bandits, said: "Fundraising like this is critical to Pilgrim Bandits - there are many lads, injured in recent conflicts and older ones like Northern Ireland, that benefit from the expeditions we arrange.”

Originally formed by a small ex-SAS group to raise funds for charities supporting injured servicemen, the Bandits wanted to ‘push the boundaries’ and take them on adventure training expeditions, similar to those in the forces, to help restore confidence and self-belief.

“It improves self-esteem, self-confidence and gives them the chance to spend time with others in the same situation,” added Mr Hutton.

“Our next is expedition is a 500k kayak down the Orange River in South Africa and not only are they preparing for this amazingly tough expedition but they are also gaining qualifications in teaching kayaking that will benefit them also."

All the money raised from the charity’s fundraising events is channelled back into these expeditions and helping to push injured men and women into physically and mentally demanding situations to embrace life again.

Mike Witt, one of the founding members of the charity, said: "We don't do sympathy. It’s all about pushing the boundaries, as any member of The Regiment will remember from their Selection days it’s about “always being able to go a little further”, and that’s what we try and get across to these injured servicemen. Many didn’t want to leave the life that they had chosen, yet because of their injuries they are forced to and that can lead to a lack of confidence. By taking them on adventure training expeditions where the conditions are like those in the Forces, they don’t get any sympathy, but instead they are pushed incredibly hard. This restores self-belief which enables them to compete in events like the Para Olympics and share their experiences with under privileged young people in care homes, schools and detention centres – anything is possible if you try hard enough.”

To get involved get your tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/who-dares-runs-richmond-park-london-tickets-35388711589