2020
The Blesma News for 2020 covering news, activities and fundraising events for limbless veterans.
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Life through a lens in a time of change
23 July 2020
The newly formed South West Photography Group is showcasing and sharing beautiful moments during the coronavirus lockdown. The group of 16, which was formed by Members Neil Owen and Darran Thompson, only met for the first time in January. They were planning to get together and socialise once a month on photography day trips but have had to adapt, and instead are showcasing their photographic creativity under government lockdown rules. “A lot of our Members live on their own and have nothing to do, so I thought a competition would cheer them up and give them a
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Blesma Connects friends during lockdown period
22 July 2020
The Blesma Connects app is helping one isolated Member feel less alone during the COVID-19 lockdown… Charles ‘Pete’ Helliwell, who only joined the Association two years ago, has spent the last few weeks connecting with the many Blesma friends he has already made through the app’s chat function. “I have made quite a few friends on various Blesma events, and now I’m using the app to catch up with them,” said Pete, who served with the REME in the Middle East Land Forces in the Suez Canal Zone, and lost his left arm below the elbow in a mining machine acci
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Virtual Cream Tea is a real success for Neil
21 July 2020
Former Royal Air Force Reservist Neil Owen had planned to attend the session, which was aimed at connecting Members in their local area and helping them with their digital and online skills. When the event had to be cancelled he decided to host his own cream tea get together from the safety of his home and asked his Outreach Officer, Sarah Payne, to join him via Skype. “It was lovely to talk to a real face on my screen,” said the 74 year old, whose left leg was amputated above the knee in 2008 following an infection he picked up whilst having knee replacement
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Spotlight on: Blesma's Chief Executive Jon Bryant OBE
20 July 2020
Jon Bryant OBE, 54, is Blesma’s new Chief Executive. He joined the Royal Artillery after commissioning from RMA Sandhurst in 1985, and began a 36-year military career, serving in Air Defence Artillery and the Army Air Corps (AAC). He left the military in March 2020 at the rank of Colonel, and started his new role with the Association in the week the coronavirus lockdown began. Welcome to Blesma! You’ve had an unorthodox start to your tenure, with coronavirus hitting… It’s been surreal. The positive thing, from a Blesma point of view, is
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