War veteran Mark Harding starts Project Belief Foundation

Mark Harding, of Wigton, is starting a new initiative called Project Belief which will help to benefit two charities Walking With The Wounded and ABF The Soldiers Charity. 

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As well as this, Mark will also be raising money for a five year old girl named Isabelle. She was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma, an aggressive childhood cancer. He is hoping to help her travel to the USA with her family to receive life saving treatment. 

DEDICATION: Mark completing one of his challenges

Mark has also said that some of the money will be going towards other charities like CFMs Cash For Kids who support thousands of children across Cumbria, putting their money back into the area. Whilst he will also give some to Calderwood House who support homeless veterans and residents. 

He will complete a number of challenges over the next year or two with the aim of raising over £2 million. 

Mark has faced his own challenges after being severely injured during his time in the military, he shared his story with us. 

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Mr Harding said: "With the injury that I received in Afghanistan in 2010, most people wrote me off. Paralysed from the neck down, paraplegic, never able to walk again or live independently. 

"For some, that would have been it. Resigned to a life of being cared for in a home, pushed around in a wheelchair. To consider that the rest of my life was, potentially, going to be spent like. 

"No. Not me, not my life. My life was still worth living and I wanted to walk again and live indepedently."

DETERMINATION: Mark focuses all his efforts on helping others

Mark goes onto explain his difficult journey to get to where he is now he says that he had overwhelming belief in himself and wanted to give something back.

The Project Belief Foundation has been set up to give back to communities in the north west and north east. 

READ MORE: War veteran Mark Harding completes Walking With The Wounded

His next challenge will be a skydive in September follwed by a remembrance walk from Jarrow to the Cenotaph in London, arriving on Remembrance Sunday. 

One of Mark's chosen charities, the ABF, helped him to remodel his home to live independently as well as supporting him as a member of the Great Britain Dragon Boat Team. 

CHARITY: Mark with other fundraisers

Phil Naylor, Regional Director of the ABF in the north west of England, said: "We're the army's national charity and we exist to support soldiers, veterans and their families in times of need. 

"This could be anything from injury, illness or financial difficulty amongst other things.

"Mark's a fundraiser and the money that he raises over the next year or two will be supporting our own causes and others.

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"I've known Mark for a number of years and he's a very determined and capable young man. He's been through a lot of struggles himself but he still wants to go out and help others and give something back to the charities who supported him, he's done a lot for us other the years which is quite remarkable."

RESPECT: Mark with other fundraisers atop a mountain

We also spoke to Fergus Williams of Walking With The Wounded. Mr Williams added: "We were in Cumbria around three weeks ago when Mark was completing one of his challenges and it was just amazing to see the courage and fortitude of a man climbing significantly large hills on crutches. 

"He's a rather amazing individual and he doesn't let himself be defined by his disabilities and injuries. He uses them as a force for good not only to support us but as a message to the wider community.

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"We’ve used his stories to front a number of our campaigns but now he’s wanting to go forward and put his work into Project Belief which will benefit a number of groups.

"The money will be really meaningful, it will help us to support more veterans, particularly those with mental health issues getting into pathways and making their way back into resilience."