St Dunstan’s: Derbyshire Blind Afghanistan veteran to climb Snowden
Derbyshire Blind Afghanistan veteran to climb Snowden
A blind Afghanistan veteran .from Dronfield, Derbyshire will be joining 12 members of the King's Royal Hussars Regiment in a gruelling 10 mile climb up Mount Snowdon along the Llanberis Path over the weekend of 10th September 2011
The event is being organised by Staff Sgt Jim Nowell and will include his younger brother 27 year old ex- LCpl Chris Nowell from Dronfield, Derbyshire, who was badly injured in 2007 in a rocket attack on his base in Afghanistan resulting in the loss of his sight. The aim of this climb is to raise funds for the charity St Dunstan’s which helped Chris to overcome his disabilities and lead a more independent life and the KRH Appeal :
Chris Nowell said; "St Dunstan’s is a fantastic charity – I couldn’t ask for anything more. It’s given me back my freedom. I’ve been able to venture further than the small town where I live and meet some new friends, such as the other St Dunstan’s beneficiaries and staff – all of whom have made me feel very welcome. I now regularly attend the centre and use the IT facilities to help with my memory and cognition. They’ve also provided me with a computer so I can continue my development at home and a scanner to read my post. Thanks to my long cane training I can even walk to the train station on my own!"
All team members will be carrying heavy packs during the climb as well as helping Chris to navigate the gruelling 10 mile hike across rocky and steep terrain. A tough challenge and a route picked by Chris himself.
If you wish to donate money in support of St Dunstan’s and the Snowden climb go to www.justgiving.com/Jim-Nowell
To interview Chris Nowell or for any other media enquiries please contact Laura Luxton, St Dunstan’s PR and Communications Officer tel: 020 7616 7980 or mobile: 07872 840117 or email: laura.luxton@st-dunstans.org.uk
Notes to editors
St Dunstan’s
· St Dunstan’s, established in 1915, is the national charity providing bespoke rehabilitation and training to blind Serving and ex-Service men and women to help them discover a life beyond blindness
· St Dunstan’s is a centre of excellence for welfare support, rehabilitation, training, respite and nursing care with the aim of enabling beneficiaries to regain their independence, meet new challenges and achieve full lives
· St Dunstan’s supports anyone who has served in the Forces who has lost their sight due to war, age, accident or illness and the charity’s duty of care extends to all beneficiaries and their families for life
Chris Nowell
Chris joined the King’s Royal Hussars in Aug 2001 when he left school and served in Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan. Whilst in Afghanistan he was badly injured in a rocket attack on his base and suffered severe head injuries, extensive skull fracture and brain damage. The neurological damage has caused his sight loss.
The King's Royal Hussars
The King's Royal Hussars is an Armoured Regiment that has provided troops for a variety of combat operations in recent years. As such, we have incurred a number of casualties, and with a major deployment planned for 2012, we are conscious of the fact that we may again take casualties, some of which may require caring for long into the future. The Regiment has an existing Welfare Trust Fund that provides welfare grants for our soldiers and their families. The aim of the KRH Appeal is to add to this trust fund in order to cater for future requirements, particularly the more complex and as yet undefined psychological problems that can take years to materialise. The Appeal will allow the Regiment to make a difference to the lives of soldiers and their families who have been adversely affected by operations.
The KRH Appeal is part of the King’s Royal Hussars Regimental Trust Fund and designed to support soldiers and their families both past and present. It supports the families of those killed in action by promptly responding to problems of bereavement and hardship, and it also supports those wounded or injured on operations, particularly those who have had to leave the Army and to assist them in finding new employment and support the families of those seriously wounded or injured in prolonged recovery situations.
Laura Luxton
PR and Communications Officer
T: 020 7616 7980
M: 07872 840117
F: 020 7262 6199
A: 12-14 Harcourt Street, London W1H 4HD
E: laura.luxton@st-dunstans.org.uk
St Dunstan's l An independent future for blind ex-Service men and women l www.st-dunstans.org.uk
Looking for a challenge? Take part in our Spinnaker Tower Run, the ultimate quad-burning endurance test, and raise vital funds for our work with blind heroes.
To find out more and to register please visit www.st-dunstans.org.uk/spinnaker
St Dunstan's – An independent future for blind ex-Service men and women
For more information, please visit our website at: http://www.st-dunstans.org.uk or call us on 0300 111 2233.
Patron: Her Majesty the Queen. A company Limited by guarantee No. 189648 Registered Charity No. 216227 (England & Wales) and SC039411 (Scotland) Registered in England at 12-14 Harcourt Street, London W1H 4HD
The information in this communication and any attachments is confidential and is intended solely for the addressee. Access, copying or re-use of information in it by anyone else is unauthorised. Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of St Dunstan's or any of its affiliates. If you are not the intended recipient please contact St Dunstan's, London, UK, tel:+44 (020) 7723 5021, fax:+44 (020) 7262 6199 or send mail to: administrator@st-dunstans.org.uk
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