Each month Bremont hosts an Adventurers Club event at its Boutique in Mayfair, when a Bremont ambassador, or an interesting partner company, comes along to share tales of adventure, exploration, inspiration or innovation.

This month, Graeme and Dan from our watch team attended, along with two of their watch clients. The adventurer-guests-of-honour were British Olympic skier and Bremont ambassador, Graham Bell, and Ibi Ali, an army veteran and Walking With The Wounded South Pole Allied Challenge team member.

   
    Our clients chat with Bremont’s Giles English (left)

 

The pair were fresh from an epic achievement: completing the ‘toughest foot race on earth’, the 251km Marathon de Sables. By finishing the gruelling six day ultra-marathon across the Sahara Desert, in temperatures above 45 degrees, they and their team mates raised £120,000 for ‘Head Start’, Walking With The Wounded’s mental health programme.

It’s a cause dear to Ibi in particular, who served in the British Army as an Infantry Officer in The Yorkshire Regiment for almost 12 years. He was injured by a roadside bomb in 2007 and his right arm was amputated below the elbow.

He has seen many other servicemen and women suffer physical and mental injury in the course of their duty. Research suggests for every physical injury sustained, there are five mental injuries, for which proper care is needed.

Champagne flowed, the setting of the boutique was fabulous, and there were many incredible watches on display. However, Graeme’s highlight of the evening was hearing the two adventurers’ talk.

  
     Ibi & Graham share their Marathon de Sables story

 

“It was wonderful to listen to their stories about the Marathon de Sables. Ibi made us laugh when he said that, after his expedition to the South Pole, he had thought that the heat sounded appealing. After saying yes to the race, there was a moment when he thought ‘What have I done?’.

“They gave us an insight into what an ultra marathon runner has to consider — such as the weight of their kit on their backs. They said every gram counts, so they did silly things like taking the handle off their toothbrushes.

“It was humbling to hear about Ibi’s service in Afghanistan. He did three tours, the last of which was after his amputation.

“Both men made us think about how anything is possible when you put your mind to it, and you have a great team of people around you, guiding, supporting and encouraging you to do your best.”

NOTES:

Bremont supports the Walking With The Wounded charity. It was the official UK watch supplier and timekeeper for Walking With The Wounded’s South Pole Allied Challenge.