New charity for injured soldiers

9:07am Thursday 11th October 2007

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By Nigel Gillies

A DOWNTON cartoonist and his wife have set up a new charity to support Britain's wounded servicemen and women.

The charity, Help for Heroes (H4H) was launched by Bryn and Emma Parry last week and has already been promised assistance from a pan-European IT company in raising £2.5million towards its first project.

H4H is based in Tidworth and has been established to enable the British public to show their support for those in the Armed Forces who are wounded in action in places such as Iraq and Afghanistan.

The first task is to raise at least £5m to build a new gymnasium and swimming pool complex at Headley Court, the Defence Medical Rehabilitation flagship centre at Headley Court in Surrey.

The Arkensis Group, a pan-European IT services company, with headquarters in Leatherhead close to Headley Court, with offices in France and Belgium, is launching a campaign in support of H4H from within the business community. Their aim is to raise £2.5 million towards the Headley Court project Chairman Affi Khanbhai said he was delighted that the Arkensis Group was to become H4H's first corporate patron. "We are committed to raising the awareness of Headley Court within the local and business community and feel enormously privileged to be initiating this major fund raising activity on their behalf."

Bryn Parry, who lives in Wick Lane, Downton, said: "Those who give more, risk more and sacrifice more, and therefore should be given more; and we can give them more."

Bryn is a former soldier with the Royal Green Jackets (now The Rifles) who completed three operational tours of duty in Northern Ireland at the height of the "Troubles." He decided to set up the charity with his wife Emma after visiting wounded soldiers in hospital.

Their son, Tom, is also training as an Army officer at Sandhurst.

"I was very moved when I visited wounded soldiers in Selly Oak Hospital and wanted to be able to help in some way. I just feel we ought to be showing we care and appreciate these brave young men," said Bryn.

"As a nation, we ask our servicemen to put their lives in danger on a regular basis to help protect our country and our way of life.

"We owe a debt to these people and we need to ensure that if they are injured then they get the very best of care to help them overcome any disability," he said.

He added: "H4H is an appeal, not a campaign. We understand that wars happen, soldiers fight, and soldiers get hurt - we can't prevent these terrible things happening, but we can do something to deal with the results.

"H4H will enable the British people to show their support for our servicemen and women by ensuring they have the very best facilities and medical care money can buy."

The Under Secretary of State for Defence, Derek Twigg, who supports the aims of the charity, said: "The Armed Forces are rightly extremely proud of Headley Court.

"It provides world-class rehabilitation care and in order to maintain this, we are constantly investing in staff, facilities, patient welfare and treatments. For example, earlier this year, we opened a new £1.7 million 30-bed ward.

"The offer of extra funding from Help for Heroes is very welcome. It will allow us to further improve the quality of life of patients at Headley Court."

H4H Help For Heroes is backed by the Army Benevolent Fund, the Army's own charity which supports serving and former soldiers in need, both directly and through its support of other service charities.

Donations can be made online to helpforheroes.org/donate or by post to H4H, Unit 6, Aspire Business Centre, Ordnance Road, Tidworth SP9 7QD.