24-hour challenge in aid of amputee soldiers is "the toughest" (From Salisbury Journal)

24-hour challenge in aid of amputee soldiers is "the toughest"

4:36pm Friday 30th July 2010 in New Forest News

By Adam Moody

BURLEY charity Trustee Philip Buckley is urging people to run for heroes’ lives in the “UK’s hardest 24-hour challenge”.

New Forest charity Pilgrimbandits – which was set up by ex-Special Forces members to help amputee UK soldiers is staging the Centurion Challenge, a 50 or 100km run and walk on October 9.

It aims to take members of the public into an unknown environment and test their endurance and stamina while also raising money.

The run starts at Tidworth and gets its name from the Roman towns of Marlborough, Avebury and Devizes that the event passes through.

Philip Buckley feels very strongly about the charity and what it is striving to do: “I became involved as I liked the idea of having a charity more specific to forces amputees, these brave soldiers didn’t appear to be supported by other charities. The idea of the challenges was also a great attraction, as not only are they a great way to raise money, but they also offer the general public the opportunity to partake in something they otherwise might not have the chance to do. It’s also a great way to get the patrons and other members of Pilgrimbandits together.”

Of the patrons that run the organisation is new Pilgrimbandit Ben Parkinson. The 26-year-old, described as the most injured survivor of the war in Afghanistan, lost both his legs and suffered skull fractures and memory loss after his vehicle hit a land mine in Helmand Province in 2006. Ben was overwhelmed by the offer to become a patron for Pilgrimbandits: “Its great and I’m proud to be the first forces patron of the Pilgrimbandits Charity. I’d love to do a challenge when I can and I’m a para, we don’t do physical boundaries.”

Although the organisation was founded five years ago it has only become a registered charity this year and, through the Centurion Challenge, will be raising money for charities such as The Rifles’ Care for Casualties, talking 2 minds and Help for Heroes.

To give a contribution or sign up visit pilgrimbandits.com.