2020
The Blesma News for 2020 covering news, activities and fundraising events for limbless veterans.
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Phil Parker completes Mammoth Challenge in memory of his friend
3 September 2020
A British Army Veteran from Wyton has completed a 48-mile run to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the passing of his much-loved friend killed in road traffic accident. Ex-serviceman Philip Parker was originally set to participate in the RAF Wyton Pathfinder March – a 46 mile run around the original Pathfinder airfields in Cambridgeshire, but the event was cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Not wishing to waste six months of training and turning 48 on 25th June, Phillip decided to run 48 miles to pay tribute to his friend Wo2 Phil Pert, while also ra
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Nerys Pearce to take on record breaking Channel swim!
1 September 2020
A Blesma Member and former British Army Combat Paramedic will tonight (00:00 Wednesday 2 September 2020) begin her bid to become the first woman paralysed from the chest down to swim 21 miles solo across the English Channel. Nerys Pearce, 38, from Ascot, was left unable to move from her chest down when a car reversed in front of her motorbike in October 2008. Five years ago, she was bed bound, 18 stone and “wanting to end it.” Now, after turning her life around with support from military charity, Blesma, The Limbless Veterans, she hopes to swim the channel in
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Captain Craig shows how he sets sail
31 August 2020
Craig Wood lost both his legs and an arm when he was blown up by a roadside bomb while serving in Afghanistan. He was just 18. "I joined Blesma as soon as I was injured in 2009 – they were by my bedside from the very beginning. They’ve helped me out with practical things, like adaptations to my house, and they’ve been there with emotional support, too. Blesma has given me the strength to move forwards with my life, and I’m incredibly grateful to them for that." Craig has been on a long and agonising journey since Afghanistan. The soldier with 2nd Battalion, Th
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What works in NI?
30 August 2020
Connecting with Blesma Members across the six counties of Northern Ireland comes with unique challenges. Political and historical sensitivities are entwined with the dynamic progress of a region committed to a positive future. For Blesma Support Officer Steve Burton and OutreachOfficer Fiona Morrison, that means extra considerations when it comes to building awareness of the Association’s offer and support. “Some Members have been totally immersed in the historical challenges of living in Northern Ireland, and understandably remain cautio
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