“I was going to row the Atlantic, come what may,” he says, “and you don’t do something like that without also attempting to raise money for a charitable cause. But it wasn’t until I heard about Gareth’s tragic death that we decided the Meningitis Trust should be the beneficiary.”

Whilst serving in Northern Ireland, Pete, Mark and Charlie all used to play rugby together. “On our training days, Pete’s son Gareth would often come and join in, his love of rugby overcoming any worries he might have had about the three of us bearing down on him. On the news of Gareth’s tragic death, we all felt Pete’s loss. We know that as well as satisfying our own quests for challenge, we’re also helping him by taking part in this race.”

Charlie’s work as a demining specialist takes him around the world, dealing with the aftermath of war and empowering local people to regain some control of their lives following difficult times. That ability to motivate and manage others, plus natural talents for diplomacy and dispute resolution should stand him in good stead as the team’s mediator. “I won’t be surprised if the others force me to sit in the middle of the boat,” he says, “as they all think I’m the one who’ll be pouring oil on troubled waters.

“That might work, although I’m going to find it difficult having to tell Mark Waterson to shut up – he was the instructor on my Commando Course!”