Blesma News
Latest news from Blesma, The Limbless Veterans
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WW1 War diaries reveal how a war hero survived losing a limb during Battle of the Somme and helped form the beginning of Blesma.
23 June 2016
Wilfred Whitfield was an unlikely war hero. At 5ft 2in tall, and weighing just 8 stones, he volunteered to fight in WWI every week from the start of the conflict, but was sent home each time (the minimum height for a soldier was 5ft 3in). The huge loss of life as Germany swept through Europe eventually gave him his chance and he was allowed to sign up. Wilf lost his left arm at the Battle of the Somme, which began 100 years ago on 01 July 1916, and marked the worst day in British military history as 57,000 troops were either killed or wounded. But like so many other
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Royal Engineers present Blesma with a cheque for £30,000 following BD75 commemorations
20 June 2016
Earlier this month, Blesma’s Chief Executive (and former Royal Engineer) Barry Le Grys, Associate Director of Fundraising Barbara Warner, and Blesma Member Matt Weston travelled to the Regimental Headquarters of the Royal Engineers in Chatham, Kent to receive a cheque from Lieutenant Colonel William MacDonald and Lieutenant Colonel Dickie Hawkins MBE. Throughout 2015, events were held to commemorate BD75 – the 75th anniversary of Bomb Disposal within the Royal Engineers – which raised money for three charities: Blesma, the Royal Engineers Association and Walking with the W
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Amputee gets a ‘leg up’ from Blesma to climb Denali Mountain.
16 June 2016
Soldier Terry Byrne took on the challenge of climbing North America’s tallest mountain this month. Thanks to the support from Blesma, the Limbless Veterans charity, Terry was able to join the Adaptive Grand Slam team, a group of disabled adventurers trying to summit the highest peaks on 7 continents and walking unsupported to the North and South Poles. In August 2008, whilst Terry was serving in the Parachute Regiment in Afghanistan, he stood on an IED and suffered severe injuries. His injuries resulted in a right leg
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Somerset CC host Blesma
15 June 2016
Volunteers and Members from Blesma were invited to Somerset County Cricket Club’s T20 match against Surrey on Friday 10 June to raise money and awareness of the charity to the Club’s supporters. Double amputee Simon Harmer was the Guest of Honour and took part in the coin toss at the beginning of the match. “It’s been an absolutely incredible day,” he said. “I’ve been made to feel really welcome by the Club and the spectators. It’s an amazing ground and a great group of people." "It was nice to speak to Jim Allenby at the toss and he asked me about what had happened to me an
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