Praise for Shropshire's Battle Back centre
A county-based rehabilitation centre that helps servicemen and women from across the UK battle back from injury and serious illness held an open day to promote the work that it does.
Guests attended an Army reception at the Battle Back Centre, based at Lilleshall National Sports Centre, Newport.
During the event guests were given a presentation about Battle Back.
Lieutenant Colonel Ian Thomas, from the Battle Back Centre, said the concept began in 2007 when Army officer Fred Hargreaves was skiing in Bavaria and saw people using 'sit skis'.
With lots of soldiers returning seriously injured from Iraq and Afghanistan, the idea for a sport and outdoor activity centre based rehabilitation was born.
Now the Ministry of Defence, working with Help for Heroes and the Royal British Legion runs six initial rehabilitation centres in the UK and the Battle Back centre at Lilleshall.
Lieutenant Colonel Thomas said the servicemen and women were able to enjoy sports from sitting volley ball and wheelchair basketball to climbing and archery as well as mountain biking and other activities.
He said: "One young Highlander, just 19-years-old, who had had his arm blown off, told me he wasn't looking forward to climbing.
"When I asked why he said 'why do you think, I only have one arm. I explained that climbing was not all about arms but about core and leg strength.
"When I went to the wall that day, who was at the top but that young Highlander."
He said Battle Back also worked with personal development coaching to help the men and women develop confidence.
"Too many seriously injured or sick people develop the 'Jeremy Kyle' approach, sitting at home watching rubbish television," he said. "We want to replace negative thoughts with positive thoughts and show people what they can rather than what they can't do."
Among those at the event was paralympian Mickey Bushell.
The 25-year-old, from Arleston, Telford, who has been disabled since birth, said the servicemen and women who visit Battle Back are inspirational.
"I have been lucky enough to go climbing with them and also canoeing," he said.
"I cannot imagine how you would feel if you suddenly lost your health, lost your fitness. I was born like I am, I have never known anything different.
"To watch these men and women deal with serious injury and illness is an inspiration to me."
