The Royal Marines Charity exists to help the entire Marine family. It is uniquely placed to understand, respond and react by offering lifelong support, helping to enable Marines and their families overcome many of the challenges they face – from life-changing injury or limiting illness and mental health issues to transition to civilian life, and even poverty.
Surrey Steels have been involved in raising money for The Royal Marines Charity after a chance encounter between Tim Brett and former Royal Marine, Lee Spencer. They found themselves in the same place at the same time - St. George’s Hospital, Tooting. In the major trauma ward, in beds next to each other after surgeries, spending days and evenings sharing stories, and both on paths to recovery, a friendship was born - a friendship that is committed to helping those who have been wounded and injured in our nation’s service.
Lee Spencer - The Rowing Marine
Lee Spencer was a Royal Marine Commando for 24 years, completing three operational tours of Afghanistan. In 2014, whilst helping others in a traffic accident on the M3, Lee was hit by flying debris and lost his right leg below the knee. Lee was not prepared to be defined by his disability though and went on to make history in 2015 as part of the first all-amputee team to row 3,000 miles unaided across the Atlantic Ocean with Row2Recovery.
In 2019 Lee became the world’s first physically disabled person to row solo unsupported from mainland Europe to mainland South America, breaking the able bodied record by an astonishing 36 days.
