How does Armed Forces Para-Snowsport Team help Veterans?
Veterans’ Foundation is proud to support Armed Forces Para-Snowsport Team (AFPST). Its mission is to provide injured Veterans with the opportunity to push themselves to achieve independence and mastery of snowsports.
Generally speaking, Veterans who are injured while in service were not planning to retire from active service before their injuries. Being forced to reconsider your entire future after having a plan you’ve worked towards for some time is not easy to accept. Likewise, life in the British Armed Forces is not sedentary, fitness is important to many of those serving. Often, having their full mobility and career taken away are two huge blows. Having just one of these challenges thrown at someone is often enough to have a major impact on all aspects of their life. To have both to cope with at once can knock all self-confidence and purpose.
AFPST encourage injured Veterans to team up with them so through teaching them snowsports they can find a purpose, resilience and once again, build up their self-confidence. Snowsports are not physically easy, building up physical fitness is an important part of what the charity offers.
The charity specialises in "providing adaptive Snowboarding, Nordic and Alpine skiing instruction to those with a physical or psychological condition, where tangible success can be achieved in a competitive sporting environment."
Their world-class, four-year Para-Snowsport Programme is made available to their athletes. Whilst primarily focused on personal achievement, it also acts as a springboard from which our most accomplished athletes can go on to compete on the world stage.
The goals that are set out by AFPST are to restore self-confidence and to bring physical and psychological well-being to the life of Veterans. They also seek to foster an improved sense of purpose and regain a competitive team spirit along with encouraging a successful integration into civilian life and strengthening relationships with family, friends and society.
In 2000 Dan joined the army and by 2008 he was serving on tour in Afghanistan. An IED blew away his left leg, destroyed the muscle in his right leg and shattered his pelvis. It took Dan four years to recover after a number of operations and intensive therapy in Headley Court.
“Those first few years were hell. I found myself wishing I’d died in Afghanistan rather than face all the pain”.
The first time he’d sat in a sit ski – the freedom it gave him and the rush of adrenaline meant that he was instantly hooked. “I knew from that moment that I was meant to ski”.
“I’ve always been a risk-taker. The explosion hasn’t changed me. I need the excitement – taking the risk is part of the rush.”
“AFPST has given me a new lease of life – something to aim for."
How does Veterans Foundation support Armed Forces Para-Snowsport Team?
Veterans’ Foundation believes that the work AFPST does is incredible. Veterans’ Foundation can give large grants to military charities only because of the generous support of our supporters. We want to continue giving grants to charities but can only do so with your help. Please donate today or sign up to the Veterans’ Lottery for your chance to win £35,000 every month and help support the British Veterans’ community.
Thank You.
