A huge well done to Matt Wilson and Dan Mounsey - both can say they are a 'Born Survivor' after tackling a gruelling Royal Marine Elite Commando-designed obstacle course of the same name!
They were part of a four-strong team put together by Louis Green of VTA Recruitment, in Middleton, that tackled the course in aid of Healthier Heroes, a not-for-profit aid organisation for armed service veterans, and members of the NHS and other blue light services.
The intrepid quartet had to conquer a 10k route filled with 30-plus military grade obstacles, epic slides, leg-sapping mud and natural barriers including river crossings - all with the aim of getting round together through teamwork.
Finance Manager Matt explains: "I've known Louis since we were teenagers at Hopwood Hall College together.
"I'd recently done the Man Versus Mountain challenge in Wales, which is just shy of a marathon that starts at sea level at Caernarfon Castle and then running to Mount Snowdon, up to the top, back down and then doing some more challenges, so I think he saw me as a suitable fit. I enlisted Dan knowing he'd be good for the team with all his endurance running experience."
Although not a veteran himself, Louis launched VTA Recruitment with a mission to create logistics sector employment opportunities for service leavers, ex-military, reservists as well as the wider community.
The firm is one of only three organisations locally to hold the Armed Forces Covenant silver award under its Employer Recognition Scheme.
Louis says: "We all got round and finished together, which is what it was all about. It was tough, and there were lots of obstacles that someone had to get over, or get to the top of, so they could help the rest of the team. I'd do it again - but I think I'd do more training next time!"
And that's a view echoed by Dan, our Marketing and Business Development Director, (although not the training bit given his running schedule includes at least one half marathon a month!), who says: "I'd do it again too. It was tiring but we all really enjoyed it.
"We were in the final wave of participants, so the course was really muddy and slippery by the time we got on it. It was hard to keep your feet at times and we all ended up caked in mud and wet through."
Healthier Heroes, which is based in Burnley, was established in 2018 by its MD Andrew Powell, an ex-Colour Sergeant who served 16 years in the infantry, and his wife Rio.
It has won awards for services within the community, successfully ran leadership development programmes and Military Resilience Programmes in schools, colleges and businesses across the North West, helping a multitude of military veterans and their families since it was established.
If you would like to sponsor the team, which is hoping to raise £1250, you can do so through Louis' fundraising page.