Lee Is An Inspiration To His Rio Team

A swimming pool service engineer from Rio Pools in Gloucestershire has been selected to undertake a ‘once in a lifetime’ endurance car rally from Peru to Argentina. Lee Townsend, is one of 31 crew members in the Race2Recovery Dakar event that will undertake the 9,000 mile journey in 15 days. Lee will leave the UK on December 27 for the epic fundraiser in aid of Help 4 Heroes and Tedworth House. The Dakar is an incomparable human adventure whose history has been built in the finest deserts of the planet, it is amongst the major sporting challenges of our age, attracting participants from nearly 50 countries and broadcast to billions around the world. Lee’s support for Help for Hero’s is borne from his days spent in REME, where is worked as a mechanic and travelled all over the world. Fundraising has become something of a habit for Lee. Two years ago he organised and walked along the 84 mile-length of Hadrian’s Wall, completed in four days and raising some £4,500 for Help for Heroes. Last year, Lee was in a team which completed a 24 hour walking marathon, completing 52 miles that day raising about £5,000 for Cancer research. Shelley Wilcox of Rio Pools comments: “We know the charity is dear to Lee’s heart, having many (ex-servicemen) friends who suffered life changing injuries in the line of duty. “Lee also has battles of his own, particularly with his knees due to an injury sustained in Germany but he never complains,” Shelley said. “He’s an inspiration to all of us here at Rio and we wish him all the very best, and our complete support for the next five months with the Race to Recover team.” For more details on the Race2Recovery rally team, route and sponsorship please look on their web site www.race2recovery.com Donating to the cause could not be easier, simply text RACE20 £5 to 70070