In the Media - October

Wristband Of Brothers: Sun Hero Offers Help For Heroes
Anorak

THE Sun’s Help For Heroes campaign is big news in the Sun.

And a British hero has pulled on a blue and red campaign wristband for the good of the many.

There he is behind England football captain John Terry. It’s former EastEnders’ hardman, and wife to Sun editor Rebekah Wade, Ross Kemp.

Ross once played an ex-soldier in the BBC TV soap and knows what it is to make sacrifices…

Link: www.anorak.co.uk

Crippled soldier: £500 Gift
The Sun - Tom Newton Dunn

A PARALYSED Iraq hero had £500 raised for him by wellwishers – but he wants to give it to the Help For Heroes appeal.

Lc Cpl Jonathan “Frenchie” Galloudec, crippled from the waist down by a bullet in his spine, said others needed the money more.

The 27-year-old is having rehab at Headley Court in Leatherhead, Surrey.

He said: “The guys have to take turns getting in a minibus to go to a public pool, which is crazy.
“They deserve better. Britain needs to show them it appreciates the sacrifices they have made.”

Link: www.thesun.co.uk

John Terry: Heroes we go!
The Sun - Tom Newton Dunn

The soccer idol joined the growing number of stars — and readers — who are backing the campaign to raise cash to care for servicemen and women wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Donning a campaign wristband, he said: “I am very happy to offer my support for the Help For Heroes appeal.

“It will help a lot of very brave people.

“These servicemen and women make me feel proud to be English.”

Link: www.thesun.co.uk

Calzagha vs. Warren in forces Give-Away
Frank Warren TV - Iain Axon

"Saturday's fight will be a record-breaking event, and I'm delighted that some of our brave boys will be a part of that, and won't have to pay a penny. It's a nice way to say thank you."

Help For Heroes was founded by ex-Army officer Bryn Parry and wife Emma, who were appalled by the treatment of wounded servicemen.

TV star and Sun columnist Jeremy Clarkson and his wife Francie are founding patrons.
The charity's first target is to raise £5million for a swimming pool and gym at Forces rehab centre Headley Court in Surrey.

Link: www.frankwarren.tv

Blind, but Craig won't be beaten
The Sun - Tom Newton Dunn

Last night he pledged his support to The Sun’s Help For Heroes campaign — and begged all Brits to give generously.

The lion-hearted soldier said: “I’m one of the lucky ones — I came home. Yes, I lost my sight, but I won’t let it stop me doing anything.

“I’m not a hero. I was just doing the job I love and I got unlucky. It happens. The heroes are the lads that got me out, patched me up, saved my life.

Link: www.thesun.co.uk

Where there's a Wills . . .
The Sun - Tom Newton Dunn

ARMY officer Prince William last night led the nation’s fantastic response to The Sun’s Help For Heroes appeal.
The 25-year-old second lieutenant firmly backed the campaign to raise cash to care for troops wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The future king proved that where there’s a Wills there’s a way — by swatting aside the usual Royal protocol. He happily bought a Help For Heroes wristband and wore it with pride.

Link: www.thesun.co.uk

Cash for Heroes
Times Online

Nearly £450,000 has been donated in less than a month to the Help for Heroes campaign to improve the armed forces rehabilitation centre at Headley Court, Surrey, writes Holly Watt.

Sunday Times readers have donated more than £82,000 of the total to the charity, which aims to raise at least £5m for a new swimming pool and gym. Bryn Parry, who set up Help for Heroes, said: “Money has been pouring in.”

Link: www.timesonline.co.uk

Thousands pour in to help heroes
Salisbury Journal

H4H is planning a major fundraising event next year, which Bryn hopes will see thousands of cyclists riding into the Cenotaph in central London.

"First we need 300 riders to join us for a ride through the battlefields of northern France linking the 100 Years War with the First and Second World Wars," he said.

The ride will begin at HMS Victory in Portsmouth on May 26, with a fly past by the Red Arrows. After crossing the Channel in HMS Bulwark a landing ship, then get into landing craft and storm onto Sword Beach in Normandy "We'll then hop on to our cycles and we then ride for five days through all the battlefields of northern France finishing in Calais on May 31.

Link: www.salisburyjournal.co.uk

Afghanistan grenade victim hails aid for injured soldiers
Evening Courier - Joe Shute

Lance Corporal Paul Owen, pictured, of Lee Mount, Halifax, is still recovering from being hit by a rocket-propelled grenade in June.

Now he has praised the charity Help for Heroes, which will highlight the plight of wounded soldiers and raise cash for them.

Paul, a 29-year-old father-of-four, was hit while on foot patrol in North Helmand province.

The blast almost destroyed his left arm from his wrist to his elbow. It left him blind and with perforated eardrums.

Link: www.halifaxcourier.co.uk

Beharry VC backs heroes campaign
Sunday Times - Holly Watt

Cartoonist Bryn Parry, who served for 10 years in the Royal Green Jackets, set up Help For Heroes to enable the public to give direct support to those injured in battle. Jeremy Clarkson, the Sunday Times columnist, and his wife Francie are patrons of the charity.

So far, £196,670 has been raised of which £45,700 has come from Sunday Times readers in the past two weeks.

Parry held meetings last week with the Ministry of Defence and said he was delighted with the fast progress. “A number of companies have come forward to help with everything from bricks and mortar to project planning. The spirit of cooperation has been wonderful.”

Link: www.timesonline.co.uk

New charity for injured soldiers
Salisbury Journal - Nigel Gillies

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 supportfor those in the Armed Forces who are wounded in action in places such as Iraq and Afghanistan.

Link: www.salisburyjournal.co.uk

Aid pours in for wounded soldiers
The Sunday Times - Holly Watt

Bryn Parry, a former soldier with the Royal Green Jackets who has set up Help for Heroes, said: "We're amazed and delighted by the response. It shows the British public and Sunday Times readers are completely behind the soldiers."

The first aim of the charity is to raise Pounds 5m-Pounds 8m to build a gymnasium and swimming pool at Headley Court, where 66 of the 170 beds are for what the doctors call complex traumas, which include cases of amputation.

Pearson was delighted by the appeal and by Headley Court's work. "They have got me walking again and hopefully they will give me a running leg soon as well," he said.

Link: www.helpforheroes.org.uk/sundaytimes_7_10_07.html

Help our boys with a click of your mouse
The Sun - Jeremy Clarkson

IT must be weird, coming home from the battlefield in Iraq or Afghanistan with no legs, and finding that almost no one in Britain could give a toss.

Charities raised Pounds 11.5million for troops wounded in the Falklands War. In the first Gulf War, it was Pounds 3.5million. But since this one began, just Pounds 50,000 has come in.

Worse, there were even complaints from residents when the Army applied for planning permission to upgrade its recuperation centre at Headley Court in Surrey.

All of this fills me with shame and despair.

But now, at last, there's something we can do to help.

A new charity called Help For Heroes has been established. It aims to raise Pounds 5m for specialist facilities at Headley Court.

I am supporting it and I hope you do to.

Even if you can't afford to give, or you're too frightened to do a sponsored parachute jump, don't worry.

All you need do is change the home page on your computer to www.clicknow.org.uk/h4h.

Then, every time you hit one of the sponsored links there, money goes straight to the charity. It costs you nothing.

New charity helps heroes
CAF Online

Help for Heroes (H4H) was set up by Bryn Parry, who now works as cartoonist and his wife Emma, with the support of similar charities, including the Army Benevolent Fund.

After discussing the needs of wounded servicemen with General Sir Richard Dannatt, the charity has decided that its main focus will be to raise money to support the Tri-Service Rehabilitation Centre at Headley Court, which treats casualties after they leave hospital.

Initially the new charity aims to raise £5 million to provide specialist facilities.

Link: www.cafonline.org

Iraq soldiers forced to go cap in hand

"The private campaign aims to raise up to £10million to support injured troops and will focus on the building of a swimming pool and gym at the forces' rehabilitation centre, Headley Court, in Surrey."

Link: www.telegraph.co.uk

Selly Oak hospital inspires new appeal
Birmingham Post

"The plight of Britain's war wounded at Birmingham's Selly Oak hospital has inspired a new public appeal to raise millions to improve facilities for injured service personnel.

Help For Heroes, which aims to raise £8m for a new rehabilitation facility in Surrey, is the brainchild of cartoonist Bryn Parry, who himself served for ten years in The Royal Green Jackets. He decided to set it up after being "profoundly humbled" meeting soldiers and nursing staff at Selly Oak, where soldiers are first treated after being injured."

Link: www.birminghampost.co.uk

MOD welcomes Help for Heroes charity
MOD Defence News

"The Ministry of Defence has today, Monday 1 October 2007, welcomed the launch of a new charity that aims to provide additional support to servicemen and women injured in Iraq and Afghanistan."

Link: www.mod.uk

Wounded soldiers appeal started
BBC News 24

"A "non-political" charity, Help for Heroes, wants to build a gym and full-sized pool at Headley Court rehabilitation centre in Surrey.

It is the idea of cartoonist Bryn Parry who served in The Royal Green Jackets.

He said he had been "profoundly humbled" meeting soldiers and staff at Selly Oak hospital, Birmingham, the first stop for injured service people.

General Sir Richard Dannatt, Chief of the General Staff, is a trustee for the appeal and said there was an increased need for public support to improve facilities. "

Link: news.bbc.co.uk

Head of the Army backs new appeal to raise money for Britain's war wounded
Daily Mail

"Under Secretary of State for Defence, Derek Twigg, said the Government had invested heavily to make Headley Court a "world-class" facility.

He said: "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."

Mr Parry said: "I was very moved when I visited wounded soldiers in Selly Oak Hospital and wanted to be able to help in some way. "

Link: www.dailymail.co.uk

Fight for wounded soldiers' rights continues as Benyon helps launch new charity for injured
Newbury Today - Miles Amoore

"NEWBURY MP Richard Benyon has furthered his fight to help Britain’s war wounded soldiers.
Mr Benyon has become the trustee of a new charity – Help for Heroes - that officially launched today (Monday) with the aim of providing support to soldiers wounded on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Help for Heroes, set up by Mr Benyon’s friend and fellow ex-Green Jacket Bryn Parry, has set its sites on raising money for the services’ specialist rehabilitation unit at Headley Court in Surrey."

Link: www.newburytoday.co.uk