National updates

Updates from the North

Updates from the East

Updates from the South

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Shirley’s Update: South West

The weather did not hold us back in the South West this month.A team from Plymouth triumphed at the recent Phoenix Winters Games at Tedworth House, arriving back to their Recovery Centre to a celebratory welcome with a mock-medal ceremony in front of comrades waiting to congratulate them.Among the competitors was Neil Edwards, an Army Veteran from North Devon who competed with the Plymouth team.“Things like this make you feel great again,” said Neil. “You meet new friends and it gives you something inside you that makes you feel worthy. It’s great to get out, meet people and have a laugh. It makes you feel normal again.”

As well as plenty of regional get-togethers and banter over coffee around the region, we had our first Community Focus Programme in Redruth, Cornwall where BoB and BoS came along to access all things Help for Heroes. We were delighted to see some new faces, veterans and serving WIS.The Community Focus Programme has been set up in four areas around the South West to give you the opportunity to come along and have some good company, as well as meet up with Help for Heroes staff. The Community Focus Programme will run monthly.

Taunton is the first Wednesday of the month in Wellsprings Leisure Centre, Barnstaple is the second Tuesday of the month in North Devon Leisure Centre, Redruth is the third Wednesday of every month at Carn Brea Leisure centre.

The Exmouth Community Focus Programme is yet to be confirmed, but don’t worry I will keep you updated via Bandstand and emails as always. We would love to see you at any of our events.

What’s coming up in March?

Ruth’s Update: Wales

Hello you lovely lot,

We have had a fantastic month in Wales! From lots of lovely new members joining the fellowship, to drop ins and a cuppa with everyone all over the region.

This month in Wales we have started to hold regular monthly drop-ins for everyone to come along, ask questions you all may have, put suggestions forward as to what you would all like to see in the future in Wales. They are also a chance for you all to pop along and have a cuppa and a chat with other members from your local area. I am now also covering the North of Wales so each and every one of you are now stuck with me (mwuhahaha - evil laugh) …….

Our second modelling class in Caerphilly was a real success.  I am happy to say we will be holding a class once a month from now on. Last month I told you all that no one got glued together… well this month I managed to get my pinkie stuck to a Tank track! This is an amazing class and is so much fun and I would love to see as many of you as possible.

This half term we enjoyed a families’ outing to Folly Farm in Pembrokeshire. Everyone was relaxed and in good spirits. The children were very well behaved and taught the grown-ups (big kids) a huge amount about a lot of the animal’s anatomy! so for once I didn’t get bitten or kicked - to everyone’s disappointment.

Funny Fact: “Giraffes have the same amount of vertebra in their neck as a human. The Giraffes are more elongated, so their necks are long enough to reach the leaves on trees.” 

We then went onto the fairground, where all the big kids in the group dragged everyone else on the rides! One of our fantastic BoBs “Miss Susan Cook” gave the whole group a run for their money and did every ride there. Including the ones that made everyone else queasy!

What’s coming up in March?

Also, our Sports Recovery sessions are continuing in February, so we would like to see as many of you as possible at the sports village in Newport and Nuffield Health Club in Bridgend. Finally, there will be lots of fun and interesting things to do over the following months. If you like what you have read so far, why not come and join in!

If you need to get in touch, please do email me on ruth.hitchings@helpforheroes.org.uk