After 56 days battling the Atlantic Ocean, three British veterans and an adventurer are set to make landfall in the Isles of Scilly in the early hours of Friday, August 15 - completing a gruelling 3,500-mile row from New York.

Rowing in a carbon-fibre vessel named United We Conquer, the team set out to raise £50,000 for UK Armed Forces mental health charity Heads Up. Their challenge has captured the public’s imagination, with donations surging to an astonishing £79,500 by Thursday 14 August.

The crew - Adam Radcliffe, online influencer and adventurer; Jack Jarvis, ex-Royal Engineer and survival specialist; Brucey, ex-Royal Marine and heavy weapons expert; and Sam “Nutty” Edwards, serving Royal Marine and endurance specialist - have spent nearly two months at sea. Between them, they boast ocean rowing records, Pride of Britain recognition, and previous transatlantic crossings.

The quartet left Manhattan’s Battery Park on 16 June, rowing in pairs on a punishing three-hours-on, three-hours-off rotation to keep the boat moving around the clock. Along the way, they have endured extreme temperatures, biting winds and swirling four-metre waves. Early in the voyage, they even broke the world record for the furthest distance rowed in 24 hours.

Fans worldwide have followed their progress through daily social media updates from Radcliffe, offering a behind-the-scenes look at life on board: from coping with seasickness and storms to the less glamorous realities of mid-ocean toilet breaks.

Originally aiming to finish in 43 days - which would have been the fastest crossing in history - the team battled major setbacks, including the loss of their satellite navigation and other electronics. Despite the delays, their 56-day crossing remains a remarkable feat of endurance.

Martin Edwards, a Modbury resident and father of Sam Edwards, said he hoped to fly to the Isles of Scilly to greet the team.

“It’s great what they are doing,” said Martin. “Obviously it still worries me but they’re enjoying it and doing what they love. [Adam] will be onto something else next.”

On day 55, with rations exhausted, United We Conquer will moor up at St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly. Due to unsafe conditions in the English Channel, it is not possible for them to row the final stretch, and they are expected to be towed to Southampton over the weekend for a well-deserved welcome home celebration.

Supporters can follow the final leg of their journey via the team’s tracking website or donate through their GoFundMe page.

Heads Up provides vital mental health support for serving and former members of the Armed Forces, offering tailored programmes that help veterans rebuild confidence, manage stress, and reconnect with civilian life. The charity also works to break down stigma around mental health in the military community.