The Big Give Christmas Challenge 2021

Blesma are once again taking part in The Big Give Christmas challenge!

For one week, the Big Give offers Blesma supporters the opportunity to have their online donation doubled. This means that every pound gifted will be matched.

Last year, with help from our supporters, Blesma was able to raise over £15,000 in just one week!

This year, the challenge will be raising funds to help combat loneliness within the Blesma Membership.

The generous support received from the Big Give will help Members and their widows receive at-home, online or community-based support from our Blesma Support Officers.

This includes:

Providing essential equipment (wheelchairs, ramps, adapted-sporting equipment)

home/garden improvements to help injured Veterans and widows feel happier at home and more confident to get out and about.

You will also help up to 400 participants take part in at least 66 activities - from model making and arts and crafts, to adapted sports or outdoor family/group outings.

For many members of the Blesma community, such activities have been life changing. They connect like-minded people - helping them combat feelings of loneliness by ensuring they can: receive new mobility aids or equipment; make their homes/gardens accessible; and can take part in adapted fun and engaging hobbies, sports and activities.

“When you donate to Blesma’s Big Give Christmas Campaign, you are making a real difference to the lives of injured veterans.”

- Conrad Molloy, Veteran & Blesma Member

For Conrad Molloy, having help from Blesma has allowed him to keep up his hobby of model making - without taking over the dining room table!

“I used to be a soldier in the British Army. I joined up straight from school when I was 16. During my service I was set on fire when a petrol bomb landed on my head, I saw some awful things in Bosnia during the genocide, and I sustained an injury during an IRA bomb attack in 2000 that resulted in my left leg being amputated in 2017.

Blesma has been a godsend. The charity does an incredible job and was there for me when I was at my lowest – when I was on morphine, struggling with PTSD and feeling like there was no use carrying on. It is one of the only charities that stays in touch to check how I’m doing. They always ask how they can help, and they’ve really helped me a lot already!

I find model making very relaxing; it helps me forget about my personal problems. Because of my Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder my hands shake when I’m nervous. It gets better when I concentrate, and model making give me a focus – it calms me down when I’m stressed. Blesma kindly bought me a shed last year, so I had space for my hobby.

The shed is insulated and heated, and even has electricity so I am able to use my tools. I can be in there most of the day, and afterwards I’m chilled out and able to sleep better because I’ve had my focus on. “My wife, Donna, is very happy that I’ve moved all my stuff out of the house, too – it used to be all over the place! Blesma has been great to me.

For one week - all of your donations can have twice the impact. Support Blesma here.