Intro

Many of you will know that I recently returned from a tour of Afghanistan with the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards. While it was a very successful tour, it came at the cost of 15 members of our battlegroup killed in action and almost seventy wounded in action. Some of you may have even seen the recent BBC documentary about our tour.

Many of you will also know that I am not the most sporty of characters so trying to raise funds by doing a marathon is not quite what I would do; arranging a big event at one of London's leading venues is something that I can do. With that in mind, I thought that I would hold a charity fundraiser at Mahiki which is in Dover St, Mayfair for 200 (or more) people. So while I am not climbing mountains or doing some massive trek, I can at least help those that do these impressive feats.

What we're raising money for

Rather than just raise funds for one individual charity or fundraising activity, I thought I would pick a couple which I think (and some of my brother officers think) do a great job, and donate the proceeds of the night to these people and organisations. These include:

Walking With The Wounded: They are planning an expedition to the North Pole with a number of servicemen who became amputees as a result of their service in war zones. To find out more information, click here.

SSAFA: One of my friends that was wounded recommended SSAFA; they provide an amazing service providing a broad range of help and support to service personnel and their families who are in need. For more information, click here.

Bike Trip: Another one of my friends who was wounded in Afghanistan and some of his brother officers are doing a bike ride in Europe to raise funds for Help For Heroes. 

Regimental Charities: Each Regiment has its own charity, so it will be important to support The Colonel's Fund (that supports the Grenadier Guards) and the London Regiment Fund (that supports my parent unit).

The Auction

For the boys, you will also be able to get some very cool auction items from our friends at Nuts, including a one-off signed Lucy Pinder cover!

For the girls, we will be auctioning off on of London's most eligible bachelors - a young officer of the Grenadier Guards, described by The Sun as "a charismatic officer in the Guards tradition" and in an article when out in Afghanistan, he took his helmet off "to reveal blond hair, smooth cheeks and a fresh complexion. Remarkably, this leader of men, a Helmand veteran, is still only 25."

Details

The main part of the evening goes from 7-10pm. Entry is £25 (which all goes to charity), or you can pay £50 (which gets you a few free drinks as well).

If you wish to support, but can't attend, please feel free to donate money (either via this website or by contacting me directly). If you would like to sponsor the event, or provide something for the auction, please feel free to contact me.

Proudly supported by Nuts!