Patrick Pease (Bruce Boats) with Daisy, Jago & chickens
The proceeds of an egg sale by two young fundraisers will enable Help for Heroes’ veterans to enjoy a relaxing day trip on the stunning Kennet & Avon Canal.
Daisy, 11, and her nine-year-old brother Jago, have contributed £400 through the sale of eggs from their four chickens to the Bruce Boats – at Great Bedwyn, in Wiltshire – which provides day trips for charities and similar organisations.
And the Bruce Boats is supporting Help for Heroes by launching a pilot scheme to provide crewed day trips for veterans on the canal – which links London to the Bristol Channel –as part of their recovery. The company’s four bespoke, purpose-built, wide-beam canal boats come with full wheelchair access and are ideal for the purpose.
Patrick Pease, The Bruce Boats’ PR manager explained: “We are delighted and honoured to be able to support Help for Heroes in this way, initially providing day trips for its veterans, and, hopefully, longer holidays in the future.
“Daisy and Jago’s chickens live outside in immaculate conditions with a huge amount of TLC and cuddles, and we consider it heart-warming that the younger generation choose to contribute in this way to help those who have given so much for our country.
“Thanks to Daisy, Jago and their four prolific egg-layers, the first Help for Heroes trip will take place on Sunday, 10 October, funded by part of their kind donation.”
Tristan Cooper, Help for Heroes’ Sport, Activity & Fellowship Regional Lead, added: “The support from the Bruce Accesible Boats will enable us to add a further relaxing recovery option to the list of activities we can offer our veterans”.
The Bruce Boats have been operating for more than 30 years and have provided special holidays for in excess of 25,000 people. The Bruce Branch is part of the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust, which has been awarded the coveted Queens Award for Volunteering.
Its boats are supported by a team of highly trained volunteers in a wide variety of roles.
Help for Heroes believes those who serve our country deserve support when they’re wounded. Every day, men and women have to leave their career in the Armed Forces as a result of physical or psychological wounds. The Charity helps them, and their families, to recover and get on with their lives. It has already supported more than 26,500 people and won’t stop until every wounded veteran gets the support they deserve.
For further information on Help for Heroes, or to get support, visit helpforheroes.org.uk.