Lance Corporal Mark Harding served with 1st Battalion Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment for 16 years, mostly as a sniper with the Reconnaissance platoon.  His service included operations in Bosnia, Kosovo, Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan.

In 2010, his 16th year of service in the British Army, Mark was deployed on operations to the Nadi- Ali district of Afghanistan.  The area was a well-known trouble spot that was notorious for heavy sniper fire. On 28 May 2010, Mark was leading a four-man patrol sent from the platoon base to investigate an Improvised Explosive Device at 41 West Quadrant.  Whilst out there, his platoon came under insurgent fire, and he was shot by a Taliban sniper. “I looked down and saw that the left-hand side of my body armour was covered in blood, and then I blacked out”.

Upon evacuation to Camp Bastion Helmand Province, it was discovered that the sniper bullet had passed through his neck, leaving him with severe injuries to the spinal cord and paralysed from the neck down.  He returned to Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham and was placed in an induced coma for six days and it took another four weeks to stabilise him from the extreme pain that he was in.  To assist with his recovery Mark was then moved to a specialist spinal unit at James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough for seven months and it was at this point that he was told by consultants and doctors that he may never walk again.  

Mark realised the extent of his injuries and was completely devastated but was determined to learn to walk again.

After spending two and a half years at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre, Headley Court undergoing physiotherapy, he became more mobile.  Mark’s rehabilitation and recovery has been long, painful and challenging but he has shown extraordinary determination and has defied medical expectations. He can now walk again, but it is with some difficulty.

ABF The Soldiers’ Charity has supported him considerably; “We first provided funds for home adaptations and a specialist wheelchair, helping him to live as independently as possible. We then helped him take up kayaking by giving a grant for a Kayak Ergo trainer and a multi gym so he can train at home, as well an outrigger VA Kayak for him to train outdoors at Derwent Marina”. Mark was selected to be a kayaker for the GB Sprint Kayaking squad.

What else has this amazing man undertaken?  

Dragon boating.  In 2014 he represented his club in an international competition in China.  In 2015, Mark was selected to represent Great Britain paddling with an able-bodied crew in the European Dragon Boat Championships.  He is a founder member of Purple Warriors – the UK’s first dedicated dragon boat racing team for ex-Service personnel impaired by their service in some way.  Mark helped secure the grant from The Soldiers’ Charity that assisted for Purple Warriors.

Incredibly, despite everything he has been through Mark has decided to repay the charity and support fellow injured comrades by raising money for other soldiers and their families. He has climbed Skiddaw Mountain in the Lake District raising a fantastic £6,000 for The Soldiers’ Charity and undertaken ‘Challenge Mark’ a series of extreme challenge events around the UK.

Mark says “I want to continue to push myself and make a difference. I want to show people with injuries from Afghanistan, Iraq (or any war zone) that you can still do things and do them bloody well because we are soldiers. As the British Army motto states, we can still be the best”

Due to the current coronavirus pandemic, Mark feels a compelling urge to ‘do my bit’ and give something back and support the NHS staff.  He says, “Without the care and support of the military staff at Headley Court and the NHS staff at James Cook Golden Jubilee spinal unit I wouldn’t be in the privileged position I am today by being able to put one foot in front of the other”.

During the first lockdown in 2020, he set himself a personal challenge to row the Atlantic Ocean from Wigton, Cumbria to Cape Cod, a distance of 4000 miles on his kayak machine in his back garden to show his gratitude to the NHS staff who tirelessly continue to provide care to patients, day in day out.  This selfless commitment really hits home to Mark, as like soldiers they are on the frontline.  Mark rowed around 63 miles a day and completed the demanding challenge on 28th May, the 10th anniversary since his operational injury, which took 88 days.

The Atlantic row was in memory of his friends Rocco and Tagi (Kingsman Ponipate Tagitaginimoce and Corporal Taniela Tolevu). And was awarded

Be Inspired Sports Inspirational Role Model Award

For sporting or physical activity background that have done something amazing for the benefit of the wider community. Then 6 weeks after rowing the Atlantic he decided to row the distance of Carlisle to Calais some 400 miles in a week for the Youth Zone in Carlisle!

After this event came the Coast to Coast walk from Robin Hood's Bay to St Bees, a distance of 193 miles.  Walking 30 miles per day, it took Mark 6 days and 9 hours to complete.  It takes an able bodied person 2 weeks!  Mark is the only quadraplegic to have completed this walk.

In September 2021 he completed the Cumbrian Challenge for Walking with the Wounded, winning the 

Kevin Uglow Spirit of Cumbria Award for rescuing a waif and stray struggling at the start of the route.

Perhaps the pinnacle of 2021 for Mark was being nominated for a Pride of Britain Award for all the fund raising he has done so far.  Out of 250,000 nominees Mark was one of only 6 Pride of Britain National Finalists and invited to London to enjoy the full event, including walking the red carpet.  

To finish off the year Mark and his support team completed an endurance walk of 38 miles, walking without a break, sleep or much to eat, from his home in Wigton at 11.30pm on Thursday 9th December down to Penrith and then back up to Carlisle, walking into the centre of Carlisle on Saturday 11th at 1.30pm to a round of applause from the cadets, locals and ITV’s Mr Motivator!

So, what now for Mark…

The Project Belief Foundation has been set up by Mark with him at the helm, raising funds for Walking With The Wounded and ABF The Soldiers Charity, where Mark has managed to get two national army charities working together for the very first time. The foundation is also raising funds for Cash for Kids and struggling families in the North West and North East of England. This Walk of Remembrance; walking from his home to The Cenotaph in memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II And all fallen colleagues, veterans and current personnel 

To finish the year off, the Foundation will be carrying out an endurance walk over 3 days in December, covering parts of the North West and raising funds for their chosen charities as well as creating some amazing hampers of food and toys for families in need.

The Project Belief Foundation will continue with their fundraising feats throughout 2023, headed by this amazing and inspirational man.

If you’d like to join Mark on his challenges to support these amazing charities, 

The Foundation is also looking for businesses both local and national to get on board and help with sponsorship for their upcoming events.  If you would like to get involved and support this charity and the man behind it, please get in touch.

Mark Harding

Pride of Britain regional Winner 

Pride Of Britain National Finalist

Royal Commendation from the HRH Duke of Kent

“Walking with the broken speaks louder than running with the great”.