The aim is to successfully reach the North Pole with two wounded soldiers, which will make them the first amputees to reach the Pole. That achievement will perfectly illustrate just how remarkable these young men and women are.

Today our Armed Forces are being asked to do much on our behalf and in our name. Every day young men and women are risking their lives in extreme circumstances. They do this with great professionalism and courage. Many have made the ultimate sacrifice, losing their lives in the course of duty, and we must never forget them. But there is another story. During the course of operations, many young men and women have suffered horrific injuries. When the wounded return home they face a very different future, with challenges they probably never imagined. Needless to say, they meet this uncertainty with the same courage and determination they demonstrated on the front line. But there’s is a long road to recovery, and for many their future outside the Armed Forces is unsure. This is when a different degree of bravery becomes apparent.

It is that future that Walking with the Wounded is helping support. It is vital that those who have been wounded, both physically and mentally, find jobs in the civilian world. Having a job is key for their future security, their presence of mind, their feeling of worth and for their well-being. We have identified education projects and training courses which specifically account for both physical and mental injuries, at establishments like Portland College and Enham Alamien. The effort for the wounded is becoming more coordinated with the military at the core of this. The Army has recently launched the Army Recovery Capability, a seamless process to assist wounded soldiers either back into active duty, or into civilian life. Walking with the Wounded is working with the ARC providing funding for the re-training and re-skilling of wounded soldiers. We will also be providing funds to Help for Heroes to assist with the funding of the Regional Recovery Centres which they are building. We consider these Centres core to the ability for individuals to establish themselves in the civilian world. Every single penny we raise will go towards this effort. All our running costs are covered by our generous sponsors, so we can say, unusually, that every 100 pence in a pound will go to assist these young men and women get work.

THE EXPEDITION WILL SUPPORT THE FOLLOWING GROUPS:

Skill Force is a dynamic education charity that delivers inspiring programmes that increase the numbers of young people entering education, employment and training on leaving school. Our courses help young people earn vocational qualifications, and develop life skills through appropriate and structured classroom and outdoor activities.

Blesma

The charity that directly supports all our service men and women who lose limbs, the use of limbs or eyes or the sight of an eye in the service of our country. Blesma are with them all whenever they are needed for the rest of their lives. Blesma’s work is about amputee helping amputee – the fellowship of shared experience.

The Warrior Programme

The Warrior Programme is a 3 day personal transformational and support programme which empowers traumatised Serving and ex Service men and women to address complex challenges which have prevented them from leading a normal and fulfilled life.

Help For Heroes

Help for Heroes was founded by Bryn and Emma Parry in October 2007 out of a desire to help the wounded Servicemen and women returning from Afghanistan and Iraq. The message of the charity is simple: We are strictly non political and non critical; we simply want to help. We believe that anyone who volunteers to serve in time of war, knowing that they may risk all, is a hero. These are ordinary people doing extraordinary things and some of them are living with the consequences of their service for life. We may not be able to prevent our soldiers from being wounded, but together we can help them get better.

If you would like to support this cause follow us at www.walkingwiththewounded.org.uk or via twitter @supportthewalk

Ed Parker, Founder