Plymouth Royal Marine veteran Mark Ormrod takes on series of fundraising challenges

• Watch Mark's inspirational story

Plymouth's Mark Ormrod has set himself a series of fundraising challenges throughout 2021 in an effort to raise thousands for charity. 

The triple amputee has become trustee of a new charity, Reorg, which aims to support serving military, veterans and people in the emergency services through martial arts.

An initial idea to raise £1,000 by shaving off his beard has turned into a series of mammoth charity challenges, the first of which is a 5k on Friday, 12th March.

Mark told ITV News West Country: “Originally the charity was designed to use Brazilian Jiu Jitsu to help Royal Marines who were physically or psychologically traumatised as a result of their service.

"But in the past couple of months we have spread and we now encompass all the emergency services, the serving military, the veteran community."

Mark lost both legs above the knee and one arm above the elbow when he stepped on an Improvised Explosive Device while on a routine patrol in Afghanistan.

Since then he has competed twice in the Invictus Games, winning four gold medals.

He was presented with a special medal by Prince Harry, who also invited Mark and his wife Becky to his wedding.

Mark says finding adaptive sport he can still compete in with his disability has been extremely important to his mental health.

He has been training for his first challenge - a 5k. A video of him running, falling, getting back up and running again went viral and triggered a massive boost to his fundraising.

Mark has now revealed his next challenge will be an open water swim in Plymouth Sound.

He also hopes to take on cycling in the summer.