Follow this link to the May highlights from Blesma.
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Follow this link to the May highlights from Blesma.
Read moreEmployees of prosthetic provider Opcare will be completing a variety of cycling challenges on Friday 9 June to raise money for military charity Blesma, The Limbless Veterans.
The route options vary from just over 20 miles around Richmond Park in south west London, to the most gruelling challenge of cycling from Roehampton Limb Centre, London to the company’s head office in Birmingham 145 miles away in just one day. Some riders will join for the final 14-mile loop around Birmingham.
Read moreA blind veteran from Durham has been able to reignite his interest in museums with the help of a volunteer from Durham.
Michael Gray, 73 has been visiting various museums since January with Robin Trounson, a volunteer from Blind Veterans UK, the national charity for vision-impaired ex-Service men and women.
Robin says: “Michael likes museums but unfortunately his enthusiasm is not shared by his family, so he rarely gets the chance to visit them!
Read moreA team from scuba diving rehabilitation charity Deptherapy has recently returned from their largest ever and most successful programme yet.
14 wounded in service veterans, all suffering from life changing mental and/or physical injuries, took part in the Deptherapy programme in May at Roots Red Sea, El Quseir, Egypt.
Six veterans successfully completed the PADI Open Water course with five of these continuing on to qualify as PADI Advanced Open Water Divers during the week.
Read moreThe Headley Court Charity was established in 1940 and in 1947 decided to acquire the estate at Headley Court in Surrey for the purpose of providing a facility for the medical rehabilitation of pilots and aircrew of the Royal Air Force. The facility opened in 1949 and the objects of the charity have since expanded to provide medical rehabilitation for all members of the armed forces.
In 2018, the clinical facility will move to a new purpose built facility at Stanford Hall in the East Midlands and the MOD will vacate Headley Court.
In recognition of the significant role that Headley Court has played in the lives of so many servicemen and women over almost 70 years, the Royal British Legion has kindly agreed that a Headley Court Charity contingent of 70 veterans drawn from former patients and staff should form part of the Remembrance Parade for 2017.
Read moreA research seminar bringing world-renowned experts together to discuss sight loss was held in London this week (24/05). The “Life Beyond Sight Loss” Seminar was the first in a series looking at various research and innovation ideas in relation to blind veterans.
The seminar was part of an exchange programme called Project Gemini where members of the US organisation the Blinded Veterans Association (BVA) will be visiting Britain to join Blind Veterans UK this week.
Read moreA Veterans Aid team joined homelessness experts from throughout Europe at the Annual FEANTSA Policy Conference in Poland.
More than 350 individuals including frontline service providers, academics, advocates, local, national and European policy-makers working in the homelessness and related sectors participated in the event held in the historic European Solidarity Centre in Gdansk.
Read moreTwo members of staff from a national military charity have driven through an incredible 24 countries in just five days. The funds raised will be going to the blind veterans their charity supports.
Chief of Staff, Nathan Muirhead and Head of Transport, Chris Kirk are both employees of Blind Veterans UK, the national charity for vision-impaierd ex-Service men and women.
The drive, which took place from Monday 8 – Friday 12 May, saw Nathan and Chris take in an incredible 24 countries, including but not limited to, France, Switzerland, Albania, Kosovo, Serbia and Turkey. Chris says: “It was a huge challenge.
Read moreService Leavers who are likely to struggle to adapt to civilian life should be identified by the Ministry of Defence before they leave the Armed Forces and offered tailored support to help transition effectively, according to two Veterans’ organisations. Armed Forces charities Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT) and Stoll, the leading provider of supported housing for Veterans, are calling for services to be developed across the UK that ensure the most vulnerable Service Leavers receive the health and welfare support they need, and avoid homelessness and unemployment. Service Leavers who are most likely to struggle with adapting to civilian life include people with mental health issues, and those with no settled home or family life to go to after their transition into civilian life.
Read moreIn June 2017, The Queen Alexandra Hospital Home (QAHH), Worthing, is teaming up with three local Solicitors for its Make a Will initiative. The participating Solicitors have all kindly agreed to waive their usual Will-writing fees in exchange for a donation to the charity.
Having an up-to-date Will is the best way to ensure that your wishes are not forgotten. Without one, you can’t be sure that your money and property will be passed on to the people and good causes you care about most.
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Afghanistan support
In light of recent events in Afghanistan, please find information and support resources here
