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Blesma News

Latest news from Blesma, The Limbless Veterans

 

  • Virtual Cream Tea is a real success for Neil

    Neil owen
    21 July 2020

    Former Royal Air Force Reservist Neil Owen had planned to attend the session, which was aimed at connecting Members in their local area and helping them with their digital and online skills. When the event had to be cancelled he decided to host his own cream tea get together from the safety of his home and asked his Outreach Officer, Sarah Payne, to join him via Skype. “It was lovely to talk to a real face on my screen,” said the 74 year old, whose left leg was amputated above the knee in 2008 following an infection he picked up whilst having knee replacement

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  • Spotlight on: Blesma's Chief Executive Jon Bryant OBE

    Jon Bryant
    20 July 2020

    Jon Bryant OBE, 54, is Blesma’s new Chief Executive. He joined the Royal Artillery after commissioning from RMA Sandhurst in 1985, and began a 36-year military career, serving in Air Defence Artillery and the Army Air Corps (AAC). He left the military in March 2020 at the rank of Colonel, and started his new role with the Association in the week the coronavirus lockdown began. Welcome to Blesma! You’ve had an unorthodox start to your tenure, with coronavirus hitting… It’s been surreal. The positive thing, from a Blesma point of view, is

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  • A day in the life: Blesma Support Officer Paul Findlay

    Paul Findlay
    20 July 2020

    The support Blesma has been able to offer its Members has changed dramatically because of lockdown. We’ve not been able to do home visits, but technology has allowed us to engage with Members and connect them to one another. I spent the first few weeks with Outreach Officer Jess Linge trying to phone every Member in our area to identify who was high-risk and who felt vulnerable because of their medical situation, mobility, or lack of a support network. We also looked at how we could get those who didn’t have access to technology connected in line with Blesma’s Digita

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  • Ben-Jack delighted with his first Snowboarding Gold

    Ben Jack Shaw
    19 July 2020

    Ben-Jack Shaw has made a huge leap in his career as a competitive snowboarder by winning his first gold medal. The 37 year old was one of 10 athletes representing GB Snowsport when he picked up his first-ever win at the European Winter Para Sports event ParaSki4Europe in Poland in February. “It was great to win gold. My coach, Jim Hossell is a serving Royal Marine, and the time he puts into coaching, training, and guiding me is completely voluntary. It was fantastic to be able to get gold to say thank you to him for all his hard work as well,” said Ben-Jack wh

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