Pictured: Restaurateur Arfan Razak from the Curry Lounge,
celebrates completion of the terrifying dunker challenge
A Nottingham Indian restaurant owner has raised a total of
£7,000 by taking on the terrifying real life Royal Marines
test of escaping from a sinking helicopter.
Arfan Razak, owner of the award-winning Curry Lounge in
Nottingham and better known as Raz, faced the Escape the Dunker
challenge at the RNAS survival training centre in Yeovilton,
Somerset.
Mirroring a tough Royal Marines training exercise undertaken by
all Royal Marines at the centre, expert trainers strapped Raz into
a mock helicopter fuselage and dropped it into water at a
significant speed, leaving him to escape using the correct
procedure.
The ordeal has four stages. First in daylight, then upside down,
followed by upside down in twilight, and finally upside down with
no light at all.
"The Dunker is an incredibly scary challenge to take on. It's
very disorientating when it's dropped into the water, especially
upside down and in the dark. It's hard enough the first time," said
Raz.
"It's certainly been my most challenging fundraising effort for
the Marines, but it's all worth it as it's such a wonderful
cause."
Raz took on the challenge as part of his ongoing aim to help
Commando Spirit, which lets civilians experience commando training
to raise money for Marines charities, raise £1million for the
Royal Marines Charitable Trust Fund (RMCTF) by 2014.
"We are delighted that Raz Escaped the Dunker," said Commando
Spirit Founder and Director Sally-Anne Hunter.
"We hope the experience gave him a unique glimpse into the
intensive training Royal Marine Commandos go through, and the real
life experiences they are often faced with."
The RMCTF has the widest purposes of any service charity,
working to support wounded and injured soldiers, as well as those
still serving, by funding decompression activities, homecoming
events and memorials. It also provides lifelong support to those
who have left the Corps or have lost loved ones in service.
Commando Spirit Patron Major General John Rose CB MBE,
Representative Colonel Commandant of the Royal Marines said "All
Royal Marines understand the requisite qualities of commando spirit
as being those of courage, determination, unselfishness and
cheerfulness. In Escaping the Dunker and raising this money for the
RMCTF, Raz has shown all of these."
To support Raz and donate to his fundraising efforts go to
www.justgiving.com/Arfan-Razak.
For more information on Raz and his award-winning restaurant the
Curry Lounge, visit www.currylounge.co.uk