Meet our ambassadors
We are proud to be supported by Veterans Hannah Campbell, Jon White and Stewart Hill who have a deep understanding of the challenges facing our Armed Forces and Veterans in need as well as the wider military community. Find out more about our ambassadors here...
Hannah Campbell was a Corporal in the British Army and during her first tour in Iraq in 2007, the building she was guarding at Camp Charlie, Basra, came under mortar attack.
Her injuries were life changing. Buried under rubble, she attempted to claw her way to safety before being dug out by fellow soldiers. Hannah's hearing and eyesight were both significantly impaired, an injury to her brain left her semi conscious, and during that fight for survival, she suffered a cardiac arrest.
After being flown back to Britain, the mother of two began her rehabilitation. Following countless operations piecing her shattered body together, she eventually made the decision to have her leg amputated.
Hannah has decided to use her experiences to support the Veterans' Foundation and urge people to play the Veterans' Lottery in the knowledge that it will change lives, and save lives.
Hannah was part of the team that launched the charity in 2016 and her powerful campaigning about disability, PTSD and remembrance - through videos that have been viewed millions of times - have helped people understand the challenges faced by Veterans and their families.
Jon White was a Captain in the Royal Marines whose life changed forever when he stepped on an Improvised Explosive Device whilst on tour in Afghanistan in 2010.
Jon lost both legs above the knee and his right arm above the elbow. He was 27.
Thanks to support from the Ministry of Defence and the Royal Marines Charity - an organisation that’s benefited from funding by the Veterans’ Foundation - Jon has received the treatment and support that’s enabled him to thrive since being injured whilst serving his country.
In 2015, The Royal Marines Charity and its partner charity Blesma – the Limbless Veterans' Charity - commissioned Jon to write a report urging the Government to improve the treatment provided to trans-femoral (above knee) amputees.
As a result the Government agreed that discharged veterans can access MOD treatment facilities with NHS funding - a remarkable u-turn.
In 2016 this went a step further and Jon was able to persuade NHS England to pay for replacement X3 prosthetic legs for above knee amputees.
By working alongside the Veterans' Foundation, Jon has helped to inform and educate people about the challenges faced by Veterans with disability - his videos have achieved viral status on social media connecting with millions of people.
Lieutenant Colonel Stewart Hill's life changed irrevocably when he suffered a severe Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) whilst commanding B Company, 2 Mercian in Afghanistan in 2009. After three years of rehabilitation, he was medically discharged from the Army in March 2012; ending 18 years of service; an end to a life he loved. Stewart attempted to find a new identity but found it challenging.
"My motivations and desires to succeed within my abilities have not changed, but I have had to significantly reduce my ambitions because of my brain impairments. These cognitive difficulties fundamentally restrict what I can do in ‘work’ terms. My brain's capacity to process information, to plan, to organise, to make decisions is severely reduced.
"I have been forced to search for a new identity and found rehabilitation and a joy for living through other means: art, theatre work, writing, singing and participating in charitable causes.
"My involvement in charitable work opened yet another door to my recovery, beginning in 2012 when I was asked to speak at events held by the Poppy Factory, the On Course Foundation and the Army Benevolent Fund. I had received support from these military charities during the early period of my recovery and transition into my new life, and – despite my chronic fatigue and memory difficulties – it was very easy for me to speak on their behalf.
"My sense of self, confidence and well-being grew out of these speaking events, and I realised how beneficial the talks were to myself and others. I now speak at engagements throughout the country and abroad, offering insights on leadership and the importance of positive thinking to our lives.
"I am always delighted when audience members approach me after a talk to unveil their own concerns, worries or traumatic experiences. I have suffered physically, neurologically and psychologically. Yet I have learnt a great deal since my injury, and do not want to waste these very important lessons.
"My ambition is to be the best artist and professional speaker I can be.
"I am trying to give hope, comfort and inspiration to myself and others."