Do you fancy climbing to the top?

The cliff face of the climbing wall at the Big Depot climbing centre in Leeds may not be snow-capped, but it probably feels like Everest for Blesma’s plucky novice ‘mountaineers’. The sport of indoor climbing, or bouldering, where participants climb their way up a jagged wall using moulded hand and foot holds, is enjoying something of a boom in the UK. More than one million people now regularly test themselves at climbing centres, which are quickly becoming a feature in towns and cities across the country. So, obviously Blesma Members are going to give it a go!

Blesma’s Outreach Officers in the North West and North East – Catherine Green and Heather Plowright – recently collaborated to put on such an activity after Member Dan Bottomley, a climbing and outdoor pursuits instructor, volunteered to run the session. He introduced Members to the skills of indoor climbing during an action-packed day that strained the sinews and challenged their problem-solving abilities as they tried to go from floor to ceiling!

A brilliant experience

“It was fantastic. I never thought I would be able to do anything like this,” says Frank Yates, a left leg below-knee amputee, who served in the Royal Corps of Signals, when he reluctantly gets back to terra firma. “Sometimes, I automatically think I can’t do something because of my leg, but Blesma shows me that I can.

“I relished the challenge of the wall and seeing if I could do it, and we had excellent coaching from Dan. The toughest part was thinking about where I could position my prosthetic before making the next move. Everybody has different foot systems for their prosthetics, so it is about finding what works for you, and I really enjoyed the mental challenge of working out the weight distribution and positioning. It was a brilliant experience!”

I’ve been lucky to do things with Blesma that have taken me out of my comfort zone and ended up proving I can do more

Frank, 42 from Pontefract, Yorkshire, who is a motor trade manager, added: “The great thing is that we learned skills we could use with our families. My 12-year-old daughter loves this sort of challenge, and now I have the confidence to come back with her and enjoy the experience. “I’ve been lucky enough to do a few things with Blesma that have taken me out of my comfort zone and ended up proving to me that I can do more. I really enjoy that!”

The Blesma team, harnessed and secure at all times, were able to practise their gravity-defying techniques safely throughout the day under the watchful gaze and expert tuition of Member Dan Bottomley. Dan, a qualified Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor who runs Summit for Success based in the Lake District, is a former Royal Marines Commando who lost a foot and fingertips after stepping on an IED in Afghanistan in 2008.

“I thought this would make a great activity for Members, so I got in touch with Outreach Officers Catherine and Heather,” says Dan, a former member of 45 Commando. “The aim was to give Members a taste of climbing and some basic skills, so if they wanted to come back with their families they had the fundamentals. Climbing is not prescriptive because everyone has to adapt to a changing situation – whether you are short, tall or missing a limb, you have to make it work. Climbing is like a jigsaw, and you need to figure out how to fit the pieces together.

“There is a good crossover between mental and physical effort as you have to work out the right position for a hold as well as actually completing it. There is a good social side to it too, which makes it perfect for Blesma because Members can get out, challenge themselves and meet other Members.”

There is a good crossover between mental and physical effort as you have to work out the right position for a hold as well as actually completing it. There is a good social side to it too

Member Dan Bottomley, a qualified Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor

The number of visits to climbing walls in the UK has jumped by 58% in the last four years and its profile was boosted last year when 19-year-old British rock climber Tony Roberts won a climbing gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.“It was a great day, and the fact that it was led by one of our Members made it extra special,” says Heather Plowright, Blesma Outreach Officer North East.

“Dan runs his own company that specialises in outdoor activities, and he had climbed at this centre with his Army mates before he was injured. “It was an amazing thing for him to do and it was great for the Members because it helped build their confidence, and they have picked up skills to be able to come back and do it with their children. It was a fantastic event to be involved in.”

 

A mental challenge 

Gavin Osbourne was injured in 2003, losing an eye while serving with the Royal Logistic Corps just before
his unit deployed to Iraq. “I had some very dark times after leaving the Army but got help from Op Courage and the veterans mental health team. Then, I was put onto Blesma and everything fell into place,” says Gavin. “With help from the Association, I was able to get more clarity about my life and started to get into fitness again. I call myself a mental health personal trainer and focus on connecting with people who have struggles.

“This was a great day and very well put together with a brilliant instructor. As a personal trainer I love physical challenges, but I’ve never done anything like this before. You could certainly feel it in your forearms a couple of days later!

“Everyone else here is a leg amputee, which brings its own challenges, but my main issue has been depth
perception. I’ve got used to living my life with one eye, but being in this situation is a first – the footholds seemed further away or closer than they actually were, and that was a real mental challenge.

“Trying a new experience is always great though, and to do that while meeting and getting to know other Members was fantastic – being with like-minded people is one of the great things about Blesma.”

To find out what’s going on in your area, get in touch with your Outreach Officer.