From 21st February – 2nd March and 3rd – 11th March, a total of 27 beneficiaries – hailing from 16 difference units of the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force – will be skiing in Breckenridge, Colorado. Split into two groups, week one will include Hari Budha Magar, a former Gurkha who is attempting to become the first above-knee, double amputee to summit Mt Everest (learn more about his story here: https://www.conqueringdreams.org/). It will also include two sets of twins; two sisters from the Royal Artillery and two brothers from the RAF Regiment and Royal Marines.
Week two will include sit-skier Allan Roberts – a former Welsh Guardsman and a double amputee who lost both his legs to a roadside bomb in Iraq in 2010. Joining Allan on adaptive skis is Johnnie Ray who lost his legs in Canada whilst on exercise with the Grenadier Guards. Ben Ward will also be taking part. Ben was injured in Afghanistan in 2012, and in 2017 he cycled from his home in Somerset to the NFA offices in London to raise money for the Association.
Both groups will be joined by Martin Wilson, who is acting as a volunteer. Martin was shot in the head in Afghanistan and was forced to learn to talk, read and write again. Martin re-learned to ski with the NFA, following his life-changing injuries, and fell in love with the sport so much that he has spent the past 7 weeks in Colorado. In April 2017, Martin ran the Marathon Des Sables in aid of The Not Forgotten Association – an extraordinary feat.
