Aldo left school at the age of 16 and worked in a timber yard in Hammersmith Until the age of 20. He then joined the Royal Marines where he served for six Years before joining the Fire Brigade where he has worked his way up to be a Crew manager.

Physical fitness has been a major requirement for Aldo`s chosen career path and he has used this fitness and strength of character to raise charitable funds via other events. One such event was the 2005 Marathon Des Sables, a 155 mile run across the Sahara desert, billed as the toughest road race in the world.

He has also received a commendation from London Fire Brigade and was awarded the General Service Medal and the Queens Jubilee medal while in the Royal Marines.

Despite serving in the Marines Aldo has no great experience of the sea, and this is a challenge he undertakes with more than a little trepidation. Some people will undoubtedly enter this event to test them selves, to overcome a personal fear or to complete a physically and mentally demanding test of endurance.

Aldo's motivation however is solely to raise the profile of RAFT and to raise some much needed funds for the charity. He has been supported by the London Fire Brigade in this endeavour, and his workmates have given lots of time, effort and much needed help in the build up to this event. So if you see a load of firemen hanging around a small boat and rattling buckets, please give generously.

It only remains to be said that this is a major undertaking, and to put it into some sort of context I can tell you that more people have been in space than have rowed single handed across the Atlantic.