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Former special forces stroke survivor from Poole tackles Three Peaks one year after he started
Deep South Media | Press Release • May 20, 2021
Three peaks are unfinished business for special forces veteran
A special forces veteran from Poole who has fought back from a massive stroke is set to tackle the Three Peaks Challenge – a year after his first attempt was abandoned because of the Covid pandemic.
Decorated officer Mark Bowra was due to scale the mountains as part of a 1,000-mile odyssey – the Bowra 1000 – cycling, swimming and canoeing from John O’Groats to Land’s End in 2020.
Groups of veterans and people living with neurological disorders were to join Invictus Games gold medallist Mark but COVID-19 restrictions put paid to the plans.
Undeterred by the global pandemic, Mark, 47, completed the epic remotely in his home gym and on selected routes before finally crossing the line at Land’s End but was forced to postpone the Three Peaks.
Now he is launching his attempt to complete ‘unfinished business’ over three days this weekend, at the earliest opportunity following the lifting of Covid restrictions. (MAY 21 TO 23)
Mark had a distinguished career in the Royal Marines and the Special Boat Service (SBS).
He achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and was awarded the MBE. He will be joined on his adaptive Three Peaks Challenge by a hand-picked team of veterans and civilians living with a range of disabilities.
He is aiming to raise £10,000 to fund innovative ‘Bowra Bags’ and deliver challenge events through his own Bowra Foundation to help other people with living with neurological disorders and the armed forces community.
Mark, who is married to Iona, said: "Recovering from a stroke is probably the hardest thing I have ever had to do but my experience in the military has helped me so much.
“The Three Peaks is unfinished business for me and I want to complete the challenge to demonstrate that with courage, determination and cheerfulness in the face of adversity anything is possible.
“Please support us to complete the Three Peaks and continue our work with people living with neurological disorders and the armed forces community.”
Mark suffered a massive stroke in 2014. He was at the pinnacle of his career, and a decorated officer in UK special forces.
He had tested himself in some of the most arduous environments. All that changed in a matter of minutes when he suffered a near-fatal stroke which left him hospitalised for over a year and told he would never walk again.
Mark’s experience of rehabilitation from stroke has inspired him to bring people with him on his journey.
He launched the Bowra Foundation in 2019 to inspire resilience and an unrelenting pursuit of recovery.
The foundation provides practical help and arranges physical challenges for people living with neurological disorders and the armed forces community.
The Three Peaks Challenge epitomises Mark’s mission.
Mark has handpicked a team of beneficiaries and veterans who have a range of disabilities to complete the challenge over three days, along with representatives of principal event sponsor Lester Brunt Wealth Management.
Fellow veterans’ charity Future Terrain has stepped up to provide all vehicle support for the expedition.
The training has been gruelling to ensure that the team can summit, Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa), Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis whilst having fun and embody the charity’s motto: ‘What’s inside matters’.
For more details visit http://bowra-foundation.org/3-peaks.html
and www.virginmoneygiving.com/fund/Bowra3Peaks
to sponsor Mark and the team.
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