FOR some, the baton is too powerful an emblem to hold.

For some, the broken stretcher handle, that once bore the blood, sweat and tears of some of the brave men and women who are fighting the war in Afghanistan, evokes an emotional and tearful response.

The baton, with its message to passionately promote the human face of our forces, their families and friends, has been on a colossal journey since it came into existence in September 2009.

Every time I speak to its founder, Alan Rowe MBE, he speaks with calm but passionate conviction about it. And this time, it was almost impossible to put the phone down. I had my suspicions that we would have been talking into the night if I was to really find out the true extent of its story, all the places it has been and the lives that have been touched by its message. In its short life, it has certainly had a vibrant journey that Alan says he never could have imagined.

But it is clear, that this journey is one that is set to continue with a visit to Camp Bastion in Afghanistan planned in time for Remembrance Day and the summit of Mount Everest beckoning next year.

Alan has also hinted that the spirit of the baton is about to global.

"I've looked into the eyes of men who have been to war, people who are living among us with the issues that these wars have left with them, and this inspired me," said the 60-year-old barber from Honiton, the home of the Baton.

"I respect these people immensely and I thought I just had to do something."

The baton, of which there are now five because of the huge demand from people all over the UK to use it to promote its message, has been all over the world. But before being cycled 3,000 miles across the plains of North America, being swum across the channel and travelling to the mighty Himalayas, the Falkland Islands and the North and South Poles, it started life from the tarmac of RAF Lyneham.

The Baton Run, now an annual event, sees a team of service and ex-service personnel including Alan, running as part of a 16-hour relay, 110 miles from the runway to the National Memorial Arboretum in Lichfield.

"I wanted to launch the baton in the most appropriate way," said Alan. "And starting from the spot on the tarmac where the repatriations come off the Hercules and then on to our national memorial seemed the most fitting.

"When we arrived in as a team it signified the start of the baton's journey and it was very emotional."

The first major expedition for the baton was with a group of Royal Marines on their mammoth 1,000km ski-trek across Norway along the Telemark Heroes Trail. The baton also accompanied the four badly injured Afghan war veterans who walked to the North Pole for the televised Walking with the Wounded trek earlier this year.

Although you will hear Alan describing everyone who embraces its essence and all its travels "incredible", Alan says one of the highlights of the baton's life so far was witnessing the finale of the March for Honour, an event thought up by Royal Marines Commando, Lance Corporal Ram Patten.

Last year, four teams of service and ex-service personnel from each of Her Majesty's Armed Forces marched to London where they delivered the Book of Remembrance to the Royal Albert Hall for The Royal British Legion's National Festival of Remembrance on Remembrance Day.

"The most incredible moment was seeing the baton being marched into the Royal Albert Hall in full view of the TV cameras," said Alan.

"When Ram put the Book of Remembrance on the drum head and had the baton in his hand, it was a very special moment."

Another highlight, Alan says, is the Khumbu Challenge which saw Royal Marines from Hasler Company, which was set up for those who had been injured in battle, trek to Everest Base Camp and Island Peak in Nepal.

"They said when they first started, they understood the baton," said Alan. "But as the trek went on the baton became more and more inspirational to them and they started saying to each other how the baton could be a handle of a stretcher that carried them off the field."

This spring, Alan took the baton to the Falklands where he engaged local school children with its message.

"It was a place the baton had to go," he said.

"For every one of the projects and events, the people have come to us because they believe in its message.

"Sometimes people are raising money for other causes but want to carry the baton as well."

Alan founded the baton, not to raise money, but simply as a means to raise awareness of our armed forces and their families.

But within five months the baton had become a registered charity and it has now raised around £12,500 for armed forces charities.

"People started donating money almost immediately, started stopping me in the street and in the shop," he said.

"I had one gentleman who was in tears about the baton and apologised to me for only having £20 in his pocket.

"People regularly get choked just reading the message.

"I made sure that the charity had a 360 degree view of where the money could go. We can give money to all armed forces charities. We pay all our own expenses so what's given to us goes straight out."

The message of the baton is also catching on among school children in the area with youngsters taking part in the annual Exe Valley Challenge and participants from Uffculme School's Ten Tors teams carrying it with them on their way.

The baton's future is set to be as busy and fulfilling as its past. Alan is working on a schools' programme which will involve Royal Marines visiting schools acting as conduits of the baton's message and talking about the issues at its, and Alan's heart.

"It's a lot for young people to grasp," Alan continued. "But once they know where it's come from they start to treat it with reverence.

"I never thought it would gain the support it did as quickly as it did. We started off with one. Now there are five. So many people wanted to do something with it. And by the looks of things there will be more."

He added: "The baton is there for anyone who believes in it to do something with it.

"It doesn't have to be running across continents or climbing mountains. It could be a bridge tournament or a walk along Exmouth beach. I wouldn't have been able to get the Bastion Baton off the ground if it weren't for so many people in Honiton who have been so supportive and the unsung heroes including Paul Moore from Supacat, Xavier Haines from Oak Fields Furniture, Andy Billings from Honiton Photographic, Lee Mayor from The Farm Marketing, Nigel Field from Alchemy Systems Ltd and Catherine Boulter, who have and are helping me."

Visit www.thebaton.co.uk.