27th February 2017: Mission Motorsport, a charity which rebuilds the lives of wounded, injured and sick veterans and service personnel through motorsport, is celebrating its 5th birthday.
Over the past 5 years, Mission Motorsport has helped over 850 individuals and will celebrate its achievements with a track day at Goodwood Motor Circuit.
Bringing together beneficiaries past and present with a variety of professionals from both the automotive industry and beyond, the day will be a celebration of what has been achieved, as well as a look ahead to Mission Motorsport’s plans for the future.
The wounded, injured and sick military community will have the opportunity to get laps of the track in a number of vehicles, as well as the chance to be shown around the Goodwood Aerodrome, and get some sideways action in the Mission Motorsport Mazda MX5s with the Car Control Team.
James Cameron, CEO of Mission Motorsport, said: “Mission Motorsport was set up in 2012 to help with the recovery and rehabilitation of those affected by military operations, by providing opportunities through motorsport. Track days, like the celebration at Goodwood, are only one of many opportunities the charity offers to its beneficiaries.
“Most beneficiaries engage with the charity with the hope of finding a new career after being medically discharged from the military, but for some, a day out of the house at a motorsport related event is all they need.”
Funding for Mission Motorsport is granted from Help for Heroes, Walking With The Wounded, The Royal Foundation Endeavour Fund and The Royal British Legion. Of the 850 who have accessed support from the charity, there have been over 200 Placements, and 88 are now in full-time employment. Partnerships with industry sponsors, such as Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and DHL, have proved to be invaluable to the charity. Mission Motorsport works closely with the Military Engagement Schemes within JRL and DHL to help charity beneficiaries find a new career within the automotive industry.
Mission Motorsport beneficiary, Adam Tehan, was medically discharged following damage to his hips. Support from Mission Motorsport has led to Adam starting in a full-time position at Rolls Royce Motor Cars. He said: “Mission Motorsport has also helped me see past my own injuries, and helped me start thinking about what I can do rather than just what I can’t. I owe a massive amount and am grateful every day and take great pleasure in telling people about the work that is done by them.”
The track day will bring together Mission Motorsport staff, beneficiaries, sponsors, patrons, and industry partners to celebrate the Anniversary, and thank everyone who has been involved with the successes of the last 5 years.
-ENDS-
Notes to Editors:
Mission Motorsport website: http://www.missionmotorsport.org
Mission Motorsport – The Forces’ Motorsport Charity
The Forces’ Motorsport Charity, whose motto is “Race Retrain Recover” is MoD’s competent authority for motor sport as a recovery activity, and is a Royal Foundation (the charitable trust of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry) Endeavour Fund initiative.
A Service Charity and a member of the Confederation of Service Charities, Mission Motorsport has an award winning collaborative model of working with government and the other service charities. It is funded by Help For Heroes, The Royal British Legion, and Walking with the Wounded, as well as by industry partners and independent fundraising.
As part of the MoD’s Career Transition Partnership, the charity helps those leaving the military to find employment in the automotive industry. A City and Guilds training provider, Mission Motorsport’s Training Wing delivers Level 3 Diploma courses and full apprenticeships enabling service leavers to bridge the gap between military service and second careers as civilians, beyond injury.
The charity’s dedicated career managers have placed over 50 Wounded, Injured and Sick service leavers into employment since the Invictus Games in September 2014.
Mission Motorsport is run by veterans, serving personnel and motorsport professionals for servicemen and veterans with the aim to;
RACE – RETRAIN – RECOVER
“To aid in the recovery and rehabilitation of those affected by military operations by providing opportunities through Motorsport”.
This charity benefits from the skills, products and platforms of the global reach of motorsport, and the underlying automotive industry and helps to highlight the strengths and depth of skills of a service career both to the individual, and to external parties. Output is in three areas:
- Sport
- Training
- Vocation
Mission Motorsport is Battle Back’s coordinator of disabled and adaptive motor sport. A City and Guilds assessment centre, and a preferred training provider to MoD. Part of the MoD’s Career Transition Partnership, Mission Motorsport manages opportunities for the
wounded, injured and sick, as well as on behalf of a wider audience of service leavers and veterans.
Key Quotes – Patrons
- Sir Stirling Moss OBE – “‘I am honoured to be associated with this wonderful charity. Motorsport has been my life, and I know that Mission Motorsport will allow those who have been affected by military operations to experience some of the challenge, excitement and fulfilment that I have achieved throughout my career’..
- Derek Bell MBE – “To me, these guys are the heroes. Not racing drivers or mountaineers, but people who put themselves on the line for their country. Whatever I can do for Mission Motorsport, I will, and I commend them to you”
ABOUT HELP FOR HEROES
Help for Heroes offers comprehensive support to those who have suffered life-changing injuries and illnesses while serving our country. This support is provided through grants direct to our Heroes and their families, grants to other charities and through four Help for Heroes Recovery Centres across the UK. A recent study launched in January 2016 by Help for Heroes and King’s College London found of the 750,000 men and women who served as Regulars between 1991 and 2014, at least 66,000 need long term support.
For further information contact:
Isabel Boulder, ib@missionmotorsport.org, +44 (0) 3330 338338
