04 Sep 2025
A St Albans financial management company saved the day ahead of a team’s gruelling charity row across the harsh Atlantic Ocean.
The United We Conquer event saw three armed forces veterans and one professional adventurer attempt to become the fastest team to row across the North Atlantic, covering more than 3,500 miles between New York and Southampton – completing the same route the Titanic never could.
They spent around 43 days alone in some of the grimmest conditions on the planet, with 12 hours of rowing and just three hours continuous sleep per day, with the aim of raising £50,000 for Head Up, the mental health charity that supports both veterans and serving military personnel.
The team has since smashed their target with more than £106K raised to date, and also beat the world record for the longest distance rowed in 24 hours, completing 140 nautical miles against the previous record of 116.
St Albans-based Lumin Wealth became involved in the challenge after realising the team needed extra support to get the row underway. With rowers Adam Radcliffe and Jack Jarvis both from Herts, and the row supporting a hugely important cause, they knew they wanted to be part of the journey.
Head of equities Elliott Frost said: “What drew us in was how closely the rowers’ mission aligned with Lumin’s values – looking beyond the horizon, planning for the long term, and pushing boundaries. Supporting them felt like a natural fit.”
Team member Adam said: “A very good friend from school saw what I was up to and thought it would be the perfect opportunity to advertise Lumin Wealth to the world while supporting a worthwhile expedition and charity. I think it’s safe to say, their bet paid off!”
“Lumin Wealth absolutely saved the day on this expedition. With our fundraising methods exhausted and still lacking the final amount required to get us to the start line and make the boat fully operational, Lumin Wealth stepped in and gave us the title sponsorship required to get the show fully on the road.”
Adam, who gave up a career in the city to pursue a new life as a professional adventurer, pursuing and documenting challenges across the globe, recounted some of the highs and lows of the experience: “Taking on this challenge entirely unsupported was a double-edged sword.
“On the one hand it meant we faced a potential seven per cent death rate and 50 per cent failure rate with no option to escape, but on the other hand it allowed us to tap into every ounce of effort in our bodies to make it to the other side. When you have no option but to keep going it’s amazing what you can achieve. Especially with three equally strong and motivated lads alongside you.
“Once you make it through your first storm, you start to trust your vessel implicitly, there were multiple times where fear creeps in and rears its head. But in a high stress, performance-based environment you don’t get time to think about it. Action is the only thing that matters.
“This is the type of challenge that beats you down to your core and shows you what you are really made of. Lack of sleep, nowhere to hide, relentless exercise, potentially fatal conditions. I reached a new breaking point and came out the other side, that’s always the goal with big expeditions like this. There are a couple of ideas on the drawing board for what’s next… it certainly won’t be ocean-based for a little while.
“My personal highlights were the calm sunsets where we could have the cabin doors open and socialise and perhaps have a fresh water rinse to clean ourselves. It’s in those moments of comfort that you remember everything is going to be just fine. We also saw more than 100 dolphins during the crossing, they were always a morale booster. We saw pods of fin whales, pilot whales, a turtle and loads of yellowfin tuna.”
He said beating a world record was always the objective, but unfortunately due to the overall conditions they were unable to beat the time for the North Atlantic Crossing Record, adding: “Those same conditions gave us a nice 24 hour period that allowed us to seal the distance record with 144.5 nautical miles completed.”
He explained why the team wanted to support Head Up: “They are building a retreat for use by both serving military personnel and veterans in order to help give them all the tools and resources to understand and manage their mental health, no matter their current situation.
“They take all the stigma away from mental health and empower the individual to best take control of their lives when times get tough. Veteran suicide is a big issue in the UK, all of the support, awareness and money raised on this challenge will have a real impact on lives saved.”
You can still support their efforts at https://www.justgiving.com/page/tuwc
