Andy was injured in Afghanistan in July 2006 when he was the Operations Warrant Officer of the Pathfinders, the Advance Force for 16 Air Assault Brigade based in Colchester. Andy was shot in the arm and his bone (humerus) was shattered into more than 60 pieces and was told the only reason his arm hadn’t been amputated was because the bullet hadn’t hit an artery.

Andy was moved from Camp Bastion to Selly Oak hospital before moving on to DMRC Headley Court, which is a place he describes as being an ‘awesome facility’ (having been there 13 times). When Andy was first at Headley Court, he was unable to use his arm or hand at all but has since learned how to write again and has regained some functionality in his arm and shoulder. He’s had several (8) operations, including three humeral nail insertions, two bone grafts and a full length compression plate that is currently holding his arm together as it repairs itself.

Andy is having to deal with the long-term effects of being shot four years ago, the scars are clearly visible, less visible but just as damaging, are the scars that cannot be seen.

"Unfortunately, due to the amount of prescription drugs I was taking throughout my treatment I ended up getting divorced. The problem was that my personality changed and I became aggressive and paranoid, and I basically wasn’t myself for a long time,” he says.

“I could not have achieved a fraction of what I have managed to do since my injury if I had not had the support of the Help for Heroes team. They helped me gain a new perspective on my life and gave me extremely valuable advice which helped me regain control of my situation when I thought it was spiralling out of control. I know they will always be there for the injured guys and girls in times of crisis which will help them achieve much more from their future lives, either in the forces or as a civilian. Knowing there is someone who ‘has your back’ at all times and is thinking of you is hugely reassuring to someone going through the trauma of an injury and following rehabilitation.”

Andy has been involved with Help for Heroes since the beginning, he was one of the wounded personnel Bryn and Emma Parry first met during their moving visit to Selly Oak hospital in the summer of 2007 and is also a Help for Heroes patron.

Andy has also done lots of fantastic work to raise money for Help for Heroes for others in a similar situation to himself, from (most recently) doing the Help for Heroes, Bridge Too Far Bike Ride this month, where he rode 350 miles from Brussels to Arnhem, to helping sell merchandise at a local event.

He’s also sold loads of H4H merchandise on behalf of the charity with friends, did last year’s Big Battlefield Bike Ride and taken part in many interviews & events to further the cause.