MEET THE TEAM

Jason Watkin - Royal Navy Veteran

Skipper/Rower

Jason spent 17 years in the Royal Navy seeing service all around the globe including – Hong Kong, the Adriatic, the Arabian Gulf and the Falkland Islands.

Having spent many years dealing with Mental Health Issues and a destructive relationship with Alcohol, he is now dry and has been a beneficiary of the Charity Veterans At Ease knows from personal experience the difference the counselling the charity undertakes with its clients can be life changing.

Having spent 4 years paying back to the charity it’s time for a massive challenge through which he hopes to help remove the stigma of Veterans Mental Health and show that by Making the Invisible Visible anything is achievable.

Garreth Murrell - British Army Veteran

Rower

Garreth served for ten years with the Cheshire Regiment mainly in the reconnaissance platoon. He served 2 tours in Northern Ireland and was one of the first British soldiers into Bosnia under the UN flag. After dealing with the traumas experienced from that conflict he set up Veterans at Ease

Garreth retrained to become a Neuro Linguistic Psychotherapist in 2010. To date he has helped 400+ Veterans,  Serving Personnel and their families find the peace of mind they rightly deserve and once again enjoy a higher level of mental fitness.

There is one last big expedition in him before he retires and he is determined in doing this row because he wants to highlight to the world that issues such as PTSD depression and suicide in returning veterans does not need to happen!

Chris Harvey - British Army Veteran

Rower

Chris spent 13 years in the Royal Artillery. Training all-over the world with operational tours including a UN tour of Cyprus and three tours of Afghanistan.

It was during a downward spiral with his mental health and self medication with alcohol when he contacted Veterans At Ease, a place where he got the help and guidance which has seen him regain the right path and he hasn’t looked back since.

Chris has recently had a career change and now feels that it is time to give back to the charity that he holds close to his heart by doing this tremendous expedition and raising funds for Veterans At Ease so they can help other veterans like they helped him.

Stephen Lees - British Army Veteran

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Rower

Steve served in the 1st Batatalion the Parachute Regiment (1PARA) a career that was unfortunately cut short due to a Blue on Blue accident during a training exercise. Steve has been registered blind now for 7 years which was the result of an illness. Since the illness Steve has had to deal with acceptance and grief being the some of the hardest hurdles to cross and it has taken time to adjust to the site loss but with tolerance, perseverance and drive he has achieved a life without sight.

Steve believes that life starts once again in the present and not in the past having dealt with the hardest thing he has ever come across his own mental health issues and having to accept that help was needed - thanks to Veterans At Ease that help was there.

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The opportunity of a life time to row and ocean has given him a sense of purpose and a challenge which he has taken up with vigour and with a immense sense of gratitude. 

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The Team are working closely with the Atlantic Campaigns Team to ensure all the additional safety elements needed are met and get Steve certified to complete the race.