James Moon Completes the Parish Walk

In the current unstable financial climate, Chris Moon, provides a shining example of inspiration to a wide range of businesses leaders and employees.

For his latest venture, Chris Moon walks the talk and is first amputee to complete the gruelling 85 mile time trial Clerical Medical Parish Walk Isle of Man.

The parish walk! ... It sounds like the sort of thing one does for a few hours before having a cream tea in the village hall; but nothing could be further from the truth. It is a brutal eighty-five mile unforgiving road route around every parish of the Isle of Man, with many hills, which has to be completed in less than twenty four hours. Competitors are not allowed to run.

At 8.00 am on Saturday June 21st 2008 nearly fifteen hundred walkers set out on their longest day. Twenty four hours later, 121 successfully completed the race defying torrential rain and high winds. Chris Moon finished in a time of twenty-three hours twenty-one minutes and twenty-nine seconds and was awarded the Manx Telecom Parish Walk Outstanding Achievement Cup.

Chris Moon a former army officer lost his lower right arm and leg in 1995 whilst clearing landmines in Africa for a charity. He's one of the few westerners to survive kidnap by Khmer Rouge guerrillas, been a speaker and trainer for eleven years and a veteran of many of the world's toughest ultra marathons, raising funds for charities helping the disabled. He set up a small company MTB (Making The Best - his philosophy in life) which solves problems in the fields of human resources and security management. He is a well-known speaker on the subjects of change management, motivation, leadership and the concept of limitation. His widely acclaimed autobiography 'One Step Beyond' was published by Macmillan in 1999. He is involved with St Loyes (President), Disability Sport England (President), Honorary President of Organisation of Chartered Physiotherapists in Private Practice (OCPPP), The British Limbless Ex-Service Men's Association, Motivation, Concern, Association to Aid Refugees, The Red Cross and is patron of COCO and Children's Chance. He is an ambassador for the Prince's Trust.

He first heard of the Parish Walk in 2000 when he spoke at the opening of the new airport at a charity event for the Red Cross. Daunted by the time cut off he vowed to return one day and successfully complete the Parish Walk to support an IOM charity (Crossroads for Carers IOM http://www.crossroadsiom.org)

Moon said, "This is probably the toughest event I have ever completed. What makes it a special challenge is that events of a similar distance, allow another five to 10 hours before cut off and competitors can run. I trained hard to increase my walking speed and stamina and would like to thank my prosthetist David Morrison from Glasgow for solving a technical problem at short notice. After 30 miles my stump continually swells and he created room for expansion. Thanks to my support crew who fed and watered me - I couldn't have done it without you! It's a tremendous testament to the character of the Isle of Man that they have this incredible challenge; thanks to the marshals and supporters who worked so hard and encouraged all the walkers."

Chris Moon is a superb motivational speaker and much in demand for conferences, offering inspiration presentations to team building and corporate events. His general topics include: teamwork, overcoming adversity, goal setting, performance, health and safety, positive thinking, making the best of everything, diversity and leadership.

On the subject of diversity Chris has worked with large organisations speaking, presenting and facilitating on diversity issues.

With Health and Safety and Security, Chris has experience of working in high risk environments and a Masters in Security Management. He's presented to large utility and oil companies on the mindsets around health and safety and security and makes what is sometimes thought to be a dry subject uplifting, humorous and relevant

UBS conference organiser, Julia Brewer, had this feedback on Chris' recent presentations: "Chris went down a storm - they loved him!  Apparently he enjoyed himself too - the audiences were large 750 on the first day and 630 on the second and he had them in the palm of his hand throughout.  Client told me that he was the highlight of the conference and made up for all the tedious other presentations that the audience had to endure.....so very positive response".