We Do It For Them

I've just finished reading Man Down by Mark "Rammers" Ormrod. If you haven't read this book you should. A true story about how he was blown up by an IED, lost his legs and right arm and his recovery afterwards.
What he went through and has to go through everyday, along with too many other servicemen, is why I am doing my fundraiser for Help for Heroes.
I was driving my truck thinking that I want to do something to help. I racked my brain for a few minutes thinking what I could do. Then I came up with doing the 3 peaks. I'm sure I could do it, but I wanted the misses to come with me. I asked her. She was up for it. So the training has started, we try to walk a mountain about once a week. We've done Pen-y-Fan three times.



The London Marathon happened the other weekend and Rammers posted about doing it on a bike with his arm. I said go for it, so did a few others. Now I can walk 26.2 miles fine. I'd moan but I'm sure I could do it. Running it was another thing. Bob Toomey said he would run with him, as did Kyleigh Hill. Inspired by Rammers I also said I would run with him as well, unfortunately with all the tweets going on I think my comment went unnoticed.

If it does happen I'm pretty sure he would lap me, my knees are getting worse and now constantly ache if not hurt, but I won't let that stop me. I've only spoken to Rammers a few times on Twitter since I haven't been following him long, but I think the guy is fantastic. I think I've got a man crush. AWKWARD. But before anyone thinks wrong, here's the Urban Dictionary definition. "When a straight man has a 'crush' on another man, not sexual but kind of idolising him."

I've probably just been blocked by him after that. Lol. But I must say, the guy is awesome. What he and others have been through inspire me to raise what I can for Help for Heroes. So any other injured serviceman or servicewomen can have the best chance of rehabilitation possible.

There are a few others on Twitter doing fantastic things. Dave Anderson is doing Ironman UK for the Royal Marines Association and other charities. Kyleigh Hill is covering 2012km for Combat Stress and Amy Manning has given up alcohol for a year to raise money for Combat Stress as well. Lisa McKinlay is trekking across the Sahara for The Undentable Trust, in memory of her husband who lost his life in Afghanistan in 2011. Another hero who sacrificed it all, I salute you. All these people are doing fantastic things for fantastic charities who help fantastic people. I have supported and will continue to support all of them.

To donate to these fantastic people please visit their pages:
Lisa McKinlay - www.bmycharity.com/MrsMC
Amy Manning - www.justgiving.com/Amy-Manning
Kyleigh Hill - uk.virginmoneygiving.com/KyleighHill-GoldChallenge
Dave Anderson - www.justgiving.com/Dave-Anderson849

And finally, if you would like to donate towards my fundraiser you can donate at www.bmycharity.com/bestofthree or if you have a mobile (who doesn't?) you can text GNRF84 £1-10 to 70070.

Let's help our wounded troops. They sacrifice so much.

Helping Those Who Risk It All

I'm sure a lot of us saw the TV series Royal Marines: Mission Afghanistan that was on Channel 5 a few weeks ago. If you missed it, the series followed a group of Royal Marines as they battled the Taliban and tried to make the area around their Forward Operating Base safe for the local population. The last programme of the series showed us 2 Marines and 1 RAF dog handler who were injured by IEDs. One lost his lower leg, the other severely damaged his foot, which may need to be amputated and the other suffered wounds so bad that he suffered brain damage and he cannot properly move his right arm, his life was saved by a fellow Marine kneeling on his neck to stop the bleeding.
This guys suffered horrific injuries trying to help a population that, in my opinion, aren't willing to help themselves. These heroes, and in my eyes they are heroes, have to live with these injuries for the rest of their lives. The charity Help for Heroes is there to help support our wounded troops and I wanted to do something to help raise money.
I have given money to buy a wristband, I buy the Eggs for Soldiers and I've always given money when I've seen them out and about, but this time I actually wanted to do something to raise money for a well deserving charity.
After some thinking I thought that I would try and do the 3 peaks, but I'm not going to rush it, I'm going to do it in 48 hours and so is my girlfriend. We will do Snowdon and Scafell Pike in one day and Ben Nevis the next day, with my dad being the chauffeur (well after all that walking the hell am I going to want to drive for 4-5 hours).
This isn't going to be easy for me, I know with my depression getting out and exercising will help and I feel good planning and training for this event, but I have other problems.
I was medically discharged from the Territorial Army in 2005 for a condition called Oesteochondritis Dessecans. In short I have a problem with the cartilage in my left knee (there isn't any), so the bones in my knee grind together when I walk. Painful. I also get back pain as well which is not going to get any better with me having to carry the majority of the weight in my bergen.
Nevertheless I still intend to climb those three mountains, my medical problems are insignificant compared to what those soldiers have gone through.

I know I have asked on Twitter many times and I will continue to ask as well. If you feel it in your heart to support me and Ambre in fundraiser in support for Help for Heroes please go to www.bmycharity.com/bestofthree and donate money. As a large supermarket chain has as their slogan, every little helps.
A poem was written by Father Denis O'Brian USMC and I wish people would think about this before they insult our soldiers.
It is the SOLDIER, not the reporter,
who preserves the freedom of the press.
And it is the SOLDIER, not the poet,
who protects our freedom of speech.
It is the SOLDIER, not the campus organiser,
who puts his life on the line
to give others the freedom to demonstrate...
And it is the SOLDIER,
Who salutes the Flag,
Who serves beneath the Flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the Flag
who protects the protesters right to burn the Flag
'Freedom is NEVER FREE'
I know I may not wear the uniform anymore, but at heart I am still a solider. Let's support our troops. They need it. As someone once wrote, "all it takes for evil to succeed, is for good men to do nothing."
And one final thing, tomorrow 2nd April 2012 is the 30 year anniversary of the Falklands war. Let us remember those brave men who lost their lives reclaiming the islands for the people who live there and hope that we do not see a repeat of that war.