2022
The Blesma News for 2022 covering news, activities and fundraising events for limbless veterans.
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Injured veteran selected to represent ParalympicsGB at Beijing 2022
22 February 2022
Owen Pick has been named in Great Britain’s Snowboarding team heading to Beijing today by the British Paralympics Association (BPA). Owen will represent his country once more in Snowboard cross and Banked Slalom, thanks to support from Blesma. The 30-year-old took his very first step on a snowboard during a Blesma trip to Colorado ten years ago. Now he is going for Paralympic glory. He came to the charity after he was injured by an IED in Afghanistan whilst serving in the Royal Anglian Regiment at just 18. He said: “I wa
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Blesma turns 90 - Larry Morgan's story
20 February 2022
In Blesma’s 90th year, we caught up with one of the Association’s longest standing Members from World War Two to find out what Blesma’s support has meant to them. Lawrence Morgan Lifelong West Ham Fan Larry, who turns 100 in July, is one of Blesma’s most long-standing Members. During The Blitz in 1941, Larry and his family were bombed out of their home in Plaistow, London’s East End. He was re-homed and worked as a builder but was soon called up and trained as a signaller attached to the 8th Battalion Suffolk Regiment. Larry was involve
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Supporting Research Studies
17 February 2022
As a respected organisation that supports Injured service people Blesma is often asked to support research projects. Every year, BSO (Prosthetics) Brian Chenier attends numerous meetings that look at future and on-going research topics. This offers an opportunity to represent Blesma and the Membership at the early or scoping phase of research projects, as well as influencing the direction of others. When it does support projects, Blesma’s input ranges from supporting the concept of the research to identifying possible participants. Before information ab
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Happy Valentines Day from Blesma - Ken and Vera's story
14 February 2022
When I got wounded, I was more worried about losing Vera than losing my leg. Kenneth Foster Kenneth Foster, 97, from Sheffield, lost a leg when he was hit by an anti-tank gun near Bayeux as Allied forces pressed home the attack after the D-Day landings. “It felt like I’d put my leg in a bucket of boiling water,” he says. “The first thing I got at the first aid station was a pot of sweet tea but they dressed it and then did an operation to amputate at the field hospital. “The Padre asked if there was anyone he wa
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