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Royal Marines Hero Joins Forces with Real Gap

TUESDAY, 26 JANUARY 2010
Submitted By: Sherwin Mapanoo

In the run up to his gap year adventure next month Mark Coffell is packing up his bag, memorising his route maps and working on his fitness for the journey ahead. An astonishing feat as just over a year ago Mark's life was hanging in the balance. In summer 2008, Mark contracted a potentially fatal bacterial-infection whilst on exercise with the Royal Marine Reserves and was rushed to the intensive care unit of Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary for urgent treatment.

The tireless staff spent a week battling to save Mark from the grip of toxic shock and septicaemia after the infection reached his blood stream. Now fully recovered, Mark has contrived an unusual way to express his gratitude 'the hospital basically saved my life, and I decided that to say thank you, I would organise a sponsored cycling event to raise money for the unit as part of my gap year.'

In just a few weeks Mark, his brother Michael and college friends Christian Jones-Gardner and Iain Johnston will be setting off on a bicycle odyssey around New Zealand. The quartet holds high hopes of raising considerable funds for the unit and as well as gaining sponsorship from their peers at Emmanuel College, they have set an ambitious target of Ł10,000 for the trip.

Their chosen route will see them speeding from the hustle and bustle of Auckland to the depths of the Waitomo Caves with leading gap year company Real Gap's New Zealand Ultimate Explorer, Bike and Hiking Tour. Covering a staggering 1,500 miles, the team will cycle an average of 25 miles a day, whizzing past an array of stunning sights including the Bay of Islands, Fox Glacier and Ngauruhoe volcano, featured as 'Mount Doom' in the Lord of the Rings films.

When asked about their choice, Mark revealed that this had been the least agonising part of the process. 'We spent a long time searching through various gap year websites and cycling trips to find the right one, and the Real Gap Bike and Hiking Tour in New Zealand jumped out at us. It was exactly what we wanted; a set route with everything organised for us, all we have to do now is turn up and do the cycling!'

With the trip planned in February those who want to show their support for these trailblazing fundraisers can find last minute donation details on the Emmanuel College website at www.emmanuelctc.org.uk. Keen cyclists with dreams of following the New Zealand trail can learn more about the epic route at www.realgap.co.uk or by calling 01892 516164 to speak to an expert Real Gap travel adviser.

Source: www.prlog.org

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