Veterans Fundraising for Remembrance Day

The Challenge:

For Race for Remembrance, individuals can choose a fitness challenge, alongside the number eleven which represents Remembrance Day, annually held on the 11th of November. This could mean running or swimming 11k, cycling 11 miles or even walking 11,000 steps for 11 days in November.

A bit about the challengers:

Resident veterans Steve Boylan, Vardre Holland and Andy Dickinson have volunteered to take up the Race for Remembrance Challenge, each in their own unique way. For Royal Engineer veteran Steve Boylan, this will mean completing an 11k cycle. Steve served in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Sierra Leone before he sustained a life-changing brain injury and partial paralysis in a road traffic accident at just 39 years of age.

90-year-old REME veteran and Arsenal fan Vardre Holland has chosen to complete 11 football kicks whilst standing. Vardre came to live at Care for Veterans eight years ago after surviving a stroke which caused weakness, stiffness and a lack of control in the left half of his body. By attending twice-weekly sessions in physiotherapy, Vardre has been able to regain enough strength to make achieving this challenging personal goal, possible. Vardre shared, “I am determined to complete this challenge in memory of my Uncle Lance Sargent John James Horgen, who was killed whilst serving in Tunisia in 1943 during WWII.”

Since suffering a stroke in 2019 which left Royal Navy veteran Andy Dickinson in a wheelchair with partial paralysis and reduced vision, Andy has maintained a high level of determination to maintain and rebuild as much strength as possible. To coincide with his personal goals, support Care for Veterans and show his respects to fallen soldiers, Andy has agreed to complete three sets of eleven sit-to-stands.

Residents Steve, Vardre and Andy will be completing their challenges on Thursday 9th November 2023. This is there just JustGiving page for people to sponsor them. Thank you for support us. Andy Steve, Vardre

Physio and Fundraising team.