In the 2^nd week of July, Jane Crossley, Emma Preston and James Alexander will be cycling from Hertfordshire to the French Alps to raise money for “Walking with the Wounded”. We will be covering about 620 miles over 8 (or maybe 9) days and are already looking forward to our last day heading up the mountains in low gear. We are really excited about the trip and would like to make a meaningful contribution to the Walking with the wounded target.

We would appreciate any support you can give us in terms of sponsorship, as we pedal our way southwards towards the mountains.

This trip was inspired by a friends amazing trip to the North Pole with wounded servicemen, and by his setting up of the charity “Walking for the Wounded”.  We are embarking on this personal challenge in order to raise more money and awareness for the needs of these wounded service men and women as they return to the UK.

 About Walking for the Wounded:

Walking with the Wounded was established in 2009 by Ed Parker (a friend of ours), and Simon Daglish. Their aim was to walk to the North Pole unsupported with half of their 8 man team made up of injured servicemen – 2 of them amputees. They achieved this remarkable feat in April 2011 and already have plans to organise a similar expedition to Everest.

They wanted to prove just what can be achieved by injured serviceman but also, and more importantly, to raise a significant amount of money to help retrain and reskill injured servicemen and help them find civilian jobs. Many young men and women in the armed forces have suffered horrific injuries. When they return home they face a very different future, with unimaginable challenges ahead of them. It is a long road to recovery, and for many their future outside the Armed Forces is unsure. 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. WWTW has identified education projects and training courses which specifically account for both the physical and mental injuries they are facing, and will help them rebuild their lives.

Ed was inspired to establish Walking with the Wounded when he saw firsthand the courage shown by injured servicemen when his nephew was seriously injured by an IED in Helmand province. James has wanted to organise a cycle ride to the Alps for some time to raise money for a military charity, and was spurred into action by the thought of Ed hauling himself to the North Pole for such a good cause.