2020
The Blesma News for 2020 covering news, activities and fundraising events for limbless veterans.
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Troops Tackle Tabs to Raise Money for Blesma
28 July 2020
Serving Personnel of 34 Squadron Royal Air Force Regiment have been running, tabbing, and even leopard crawling 7.5km to raise money for Blesma. “I’ve been a supporter for a long time,” said Lance Corporal Callum Brown, whose idea it was to start the challenge. “The work the charity does is unbelievable – it is still providing vital support with everything that’s going on. The Members have given so much, the least we can do is support them.” Callum and members of his squadron completed the 7.5km distance carrying
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Korean War veteran and Blesma Member Albert Hazeltine tells his story.
27 July 2020
Albert Hazeltine lost a leg in the Korean War, and in recent years had to have his below-knee amputation taken above the knee. He was a latecomer to Blesma, but soon became a great fan! How did you get involved with the military?I’m from London, but I eventually moved away and began working on farms on the Isle of Wight. When it was time to do my two years of military service, I thought I might as well join up properly and get paid for it. I joined the Royal Artillery and was attached to the Maintenance Corps. I learned how to drive tanks, a
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Kirk quick to RE:ACT to help those on the front line
26 July 2020
Eager to use his military experience to help those on the coronavirus front line, Blesma Member Kirk Bowett began volunteering with disaster response charity Op RE:ACT (previously Team Rubicon UK) in April. The former Infantryman was part of a group of 20 tasked with supporting NHS staff at Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospitals in London at the peak of the pandemic. “Hospital staff were working 12-hour shifts and were then unable to find food as everyone was panic buying,” said Kirk, who lost his left arm below the elbow in an IED attack in Iraq in 2013.
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Blesma at Home workout (Level 1 Session 4)
24 July 2020
Gregg Stevenson has devised a weekly home workout especially for his fellow Members, to help us keep our mind and bodies healthy during lock-down. Macro alias: InsertQuote Former Royal Engineer Gregg lost one leg above and the other below the knee after triggering an IED while on patrol in Afghanistan in 2009. During his rehabilitation he gained weight, and at the same time was looking at how he could improve his situation. It was a long road to recovery, but he decided the an
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