Blesma News
Latest news from Blesma, The Limbless Veterans
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Could your wellbeing benefit from a poetry workshop? Find out how it helps Members
15 October 2020
Britain has a rich tradition of military poetry, but most of it stems from the two World Wars – recent military verse hasn’t achieved quite the same impact. “It’s interesting; we have a great deal of substantial writing from those conflicts, but unlike in America, where the Vietnam War produced a large number of veterans who went on to become writers, poets and artists, we haven’t had very much poetry from members of the UK Armed Forces since WWII,” says Niall Munro director of the Oxford Brookes Poetry Centre. Last year, Niall and the Centre set out to change
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Former Army Combat medic to take on 150km kayak challenge
14 October 2020
Former Army combat medic Nerys Pearce, who had to pull out of her bid to become the first person paralysed from the chest down to swim the Channel, has vowed: “I’ll be back.” The 38-year-old, who had to abandon her attempt when her body temperature dropped alarmingly after nine hours in the water, has booked another crack at the endurance feat next year. "I was very disappointed but I didn’t cry about not finishing because the biggest goals aren’t the easiest things to achieve,” said Nerys, who went straight back into training and just a few weeks later is att
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"It gives my mind a focus and gives me peace"
13 October 2020
A Blesma-funded course has given one Member the confidence and skills to start his own motorbike spray painting business. Roger Mason attended a Paint My Ride course last December, having always dreamed of working in the paint spraying industry. For the last eight years, he has been spray painting for his wife’s business 'Glamsticks', which specialises in customising and personalising mobility aids. He has been teaching himself along the way before he decided to take his passion further after finding it helped with his PTSD. Thanks to funding from Blesma, Roger attended an int
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Birthday Honours 2020: Veterans Paul Findlay and Mark Ormrod honoured
12 October 2020
Blesma Members Paul Findlay and Mark Ormrod have been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list, becoming MBEs. Former Royal Marine Mark has been acknowledged for his service to the Royal Marines and Veterans, while former Royal Signal Corporal Paul is being celebrated for his charitable services, especially during the pandemic. The list is usually published in June inline with the Queen’s official birthday, but it was postponed so that individuals who played crucial roles in the first months of the coronavirus outbreak could be added.
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