Blesma News 2015
The Blesma News for 2015 covering news, activities and fundraising events for limbless veterans.
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AGM 2015
30 June 2015
The Blesma Annual General Meeting paid tribute to the inspiring efforts of Members, volunteers and staff who are the core of a unique charity. It has been a year of significant triumphs and milestones but Members and distinguished guests heard that challenges still remain to maintain progress and keep public support. The meeting, held at the Institution of Civil Engineers, in Westminster, London, heard the amazing achievements of veterans such as Dave Henson and Owen Pick and an impassioned speech from the Duke of Westminster outlining his vision for the Defence Medical Rehabi
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Family of late Mike McErlain take part in the D-Day Run
12 June 2015
The family of a military hero is made an emotional D-Day anniversary pilgrimage to run in the charity race that claimed his life. On Saturday 6 June, Lt-Col Mike McErlain’s three young children and his wife, Joanna, ran part of the 44-mile course in Normandy that he co-founded. The brilliant 45-year-old Army surgeon, who operated at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan on several tours of duty, died on the annual D-Day run in 2013 after suffering heart difficulties two miles into the race. Speaking before the event, Joanna said: “It will be quite hard for the all of us, p
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Team from London Underground visit the Gazelle Squadron
29 May 2015
On Wednesday 27 May Mike Bracken took 9 brave men to Bourne Park Airfield in Hampshire to visit the Gazelle Display Squadron. This was one of the auction prizes from the Charity Dinner held at the RAF Club on 14 March 15. The event had been bought for £2,500 by some very generous businessmen. The Gazelle Squadron who sponsor Blesma and are rebuilding one of the aircraft as a Blesma project hosted us fantastically, particularly Bruce Stuart and Wilf Hyde-Smith. The guests were all shown around the engineering facilities, briefed on the work of the squadron and its links with Blesma an
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Donation from the Santander Foundation
28 May 2015
Blesma has received £5,000 to provide grassroots welfare services to ex-Service men and women who have suffered life-changing limb loss or the use of a limb, an eye or loss of sight in their communities through the UK. The donation was provided by the Santander Foundation which offers grants to UK registered charities for projects that help disadvantaged people in local communities. The grant will ensure the charity can continue to deliver unique individual welfare programmes to veterans in Hull and across the UK. Barry Le Grys, Chief Executive at Blesma said: “Blesma i
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