A FORMER royal marine commando is set to take on his biggest challenge yet - rowing 3000 miles unassisted across the Atlantic Ocean.

The huge rowing journey, from Sierra Leone to Guyana, South America, is being undertaken by Richard Allen, from Billericay.

Richard has served in some of the most extreme, hostile, and remote places on earth, including jungles, deserts and the Arctic - but admits this will be his biggest challenge yet.

Branded the 'commonwealth row', the row is a solo unsupported journey with the aim of raising awareness of the commonwealth and promoting education for children in Sierra Leone.

Richard said: “To me, the Commonwealth means so much. I have been lucky enough to have travelled and worked in many of the 53 Commonwealth nations, I’ve also been able to see what it means to so many others. People whose lives have not only been bettered, but in some cases protected.

“We need to do more to assist each other and working together could produce even better lives for even more people. To galvanise an entire Commonwealth, to support each other moving towards a common goal, could end many of the hurdles we all face.

“From ending disease to ridding our lands and waters of the plastics that choke them and handing the world a far greener planet. It’s all hardly plausible but all utterly possible.

“It’s amazing what can be achieved when people come together, just imagine 2.4 billion of us”

The journey itself will cover over 3000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean and will start in Freetown, Sierra Leone and finish in Georgetown, Guyana.

One of the main aims of the row, is to get schools from around the Commonwealth engaged with the importance of the Commonwealth and to work with partners like the WWF to educate children and combat the increase of plastics in the Oceans.

Setting off in December 2018, Richard will set sail on his three-month journey in his purpose, hand-built 7.3 metre boat made from carbon.

The Commonwealth Row is looking to donate funds and raise awareness for The Commonwealth ex-services league.

Currently the league has 56-member organisations in 49 Commonwealth countries where 40,000 eligible veterans have been identified.

The row will also be raising funds for the charity Street Child that helps promote education in schools in Sierra Leone.

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