2021
Blesma Updates for 2021, covering news, activities and fundraising events for limbless veterans.
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Last Chance to Apply for MGR!
14 December 2021
It's your very last chance to apply to join the Award-Winning 2022 Making Generation R programme! Your fellow Blesma Members have already inspired over 125,000 young people, key workers and military communities with their incredible stories of overcoming adversity - now it’s time for you to get involved! To join the programme, or to find out more, please register your interest at: aelocal@blesma.org. All we need to know is your name and email addre
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Benefits update - Winter Fuel Payments
12 December 2021
Benefits update - Winter Fuel Payments Benefits update - Winter Fuel Payments Welcome to Blesma's regular section on the benefits system. As well as highlighting some useful information regarding the benefits system, on occasions we will be raising awareness of some health and social care matters. If you would like to discuss your benefit entitlement or have a social care query, please contact your Blesma Support Officer. Alternatively, you can contact Liz Watling in the Independence and Wellbeing team by email at
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Tail End Charlie is helping Veterans
10 December 2021
Royal Artillery Veteran David Gardner used his extensive military connections in lockdown to create Tail End Charlie – a group of volunteers across the country who have come together to support vulnerable veterans. “It started by helping people out with food parcels. We put people in touch with each other through regional Facebook groups and now have thousands of people involved,” said David, 56, who lost both his legs after a scorpion sting caused blood clots and nerve damage. “If we can’t help someone directly, we put them in contact with organisations we tr
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Meet fellow Blesma Member Janet Riddell
6 December 2021
Janet Riddell joined the Royal Navy in 1990 as a naval clerk. She was involved in a helicopter crash during a posting to Baghdad, sustaining injuries that led to her becoming a through-knee amputee. She now spends her time supporting other amputees, Service personnel and civilians. “I initially joined up as a Radar Operator in March 1983. I was only 16 years old and when I arrived for training,I felt totally overwhelmed. I just wasn’t ready to join up and had to go home the next day. “I started work as an account clerk and later applied to join the
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