On Saturday 04 June, a group of veterans – including some on hand cycles – will take on 100 miles in the South Yorkshire countryside in just one day to raisemoney for injured colleagues…
Veteran and Blesma Member Jonathan Bell, 52 from Weybridge in Surrey, has organised for a group of Army veterans and friends to join him for The Fast ‘n’Flat 100 Sportive challenge, starting and finishing in Thorne. The group is around 75 people including from Jonathan’s old regiment, The Green Howards, andserving soldiers from The Yorkshire Regiment. Between the riders, they have already raised a fantastic £12,700 with more donations expected to come in beforethe event.
Jonathan was seriously injured along with 15 others in a military training accident while on a Brigade exercise with the Green Howards on Salisbury Plain,causing him to be paralysed from the upper chest down. Jonathan is a keen hand-cyclist and has taken part in multiple cycling events with Blesma including aBattlefield Ride in Belgium and Soldier Ride events in the UK with fellow injured veterans from the United States.
He says: “We started out as a small group of Blesma Members wanting to put something back into the charity and to try and ensure others have theopportunities we’ve had. What has happened though, and it’s been really amazing, is the number of guys from our Regiments and all our friends and familieswho want to ride the 100 miles with us – it’s great – there’s a real sense of momentum.
"In the build up to the ride, everyone is training hard, but they also want to fundraise and spread the message about the work that Blesma does. It shows that there is a real sense of wanting to support Blesma, but also to show their support for their friends who have been injured.”
To support Jonathan, go to:https://www.justgiving.com/BLESMA100JBELL/
Blesma, The Limbless Veterans is the national charity for all limbless service men and women, their widows and dependants. It was formed in the yearsfollowing the First World War and became a national charity in 1932.
