A few blogs ago, when we were somewhere at the top of Britain, I wrote about the West of England MS Therapy Centre, one of the charities we are supporting. In this little blog I say a little more about two of the others we are also supporting: Over The Wall and Help For Heroes.
Over The Wall
Over The Wall is a national children’s charity. It’s purpose is to provide life-changing experiences to children and young people aged 8-17 who are affected by serious and life limiting illnesses. They do this by offering free activity camps specifically developed to foster coping, resilience, self-esteem and confidence. Campers get a chance to take part in the sort of games and adventures that they are usually excluded from because their school can’t cope with their medical challenges or perhaps because they have been hospitalised for a long time.
Having volunteered for this charity for several years, Tanya and I have experienced first hand how life changing the camps can be for the families and for the volunteers too. But don’t take my word for it, here is what some of them have said:
“You all made me feel like a normal boy, and I loved that because at my school the kids don’t treat me like that. I’d love camp to last forever, if my Nan could come too.”
– Camper
“The camp was one of the best experiences that Matthew has had I have never seen him so enthused! He came home and said at school nobody wants him in their team but at camp he found a team that accepted people for who they are without prejudice. A fantastic time.” – Parent
“Once again a huge Thank You to all involved, especially the volunteers. My nephew is going to apply to volunteer as he was very much affected by Ellie’s chat. Ellie had a fantastic time she clearly felt respected for being ‘her’ which doesn’t always happen in school. She was full of chat too about all aspects of camp. The whole ethos clearly lends itself to making a life changing camp, volunteers are well chosen.” – Parent
“ The Over The Wall camp is the best thing that has ever happened to us as a family.”-Parent – Scotland Camp
Help for Heroes
Help for Heroes perhaps needs less introduction as to it’s purpose and motivation. But I think these quotes illustrate nicely the many ways in which it has made a very real difference to service men and women’s lives.
Thank you so much for the road bike that was funded for me via Battle Back. Physical activity and exercise has always played a huge role in my life and now, after 3 ½ years of hospital treatment and rehabilitation, I can look forward to keeping fit and taking on a few challenges. The bike will be central to those efforts. So, thank you to Help for Heroes for their generosity to me personally and also, with my ‘senior calamity’ hat on, for the quite tremendous practical support it provides every day for some very damaged but special young Servicemen and women and their families. They deserve nothing less and when H4H is involved, will receive nothing less. Thank you!
The support that has been given to me by Help for Heroes is very overwhelming from financing a picture framing course and examination to the building of my workshop.
Help for Heroes have helped me and others get back into an active lifestyle, whether it be things like RAAM or the BBBR. They have also helped me with funding for equipment etc.
I am truly grateful for the support I have received from Help for Heroes, it has enabled me to compete as an international athlete, which I would never have thought possible.
Support from little gestures to large scale projects that have helped me through rehab. An amazing support network for me and my family! A true ‘Band of Brothers.’
H4H has given me and other Service personnel the opportunities to try new things and to see other soldiers with serious injuries, both different and similar to my own, striving under adversity, has given me the confidence to move forward and remains a constant reminder of who we are. We are different! H4H has recognised that fact and given us all a chance to be the very best we can post injury! I hope that I can continue to be an inspiration and mentor to other soldiers who are coming to terms with life changing injuries.
To me, Help for Heroes means love, support and friendship.
If you can help us in any way to help these two charities continue to make a difference please click on our donate button on our blog menu.
THANK YOU!!
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Midlifekayak 