FUNDRAISER GALA DINNER
Last year, we were delighted to welcome and host the Walking With The Wounded Team and support crew on their inspirational Walk Of Britain journey that finished at Buckingham Palace. The walk saw six wounded veterans walk over 1,000 miles through mainland UK.
The WWTW Team 'boarded' at Warminster School overnight on day 46 of their 1,000 mile challenge and gave an amazing thought-provoking presentation to pupils, parents and staff who had come along to support. One of the pupils in the audience, Sixth Former Charlotte Brumby, was inspired to do more for the charity and has modelled her Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) around helping WWTW further.
Charlotte commented, “I wanted to use my EPQ time wisely by supporting something I felt strongly about. I enjoyed meeting the inspirational WWTW team on their Walk Of Britain Expedition last year and it inspired me to do something more. I am organising a fundraising Gala Dinner to highlight awareness for and about the good work that WWTW is involved in. The Gala Dinner will be held on the 16 September and I am delighted that Edward Parker, the Co-Founder of WWTW has agreed to be the Guest of Honour. I hope to organise an enjoyable evening for everyone with as much of the proceeds as possible going towards WWTW.”
A Level pupils at Warminster School are encouraged to take the EPQ as it promotes independent learning and involves investigating a topic of choice in depth. The EPQ is a substantial piece of individual work which can be in the form of a dissertation, extensive investigation, artefact, performance or event. It allows pupils to increase their depth of learning in an area of the curriculum of their choice and, above all, stresses the importance of skills such as: independent research, reflective learning, critical thinking, planning and organisation.
Charlotte’s Sixth Form tutor, Nicola Rogers, said of the event, “'Following the WWTW presentation at Warminster School last year, Charlotte has been full of admiration for these extraordinary people. When she made the decision to undertake the EPQ, she knew instantly that she wanted to use it to raise awareness and raise funds for this extremely worthy cause. I have been hugely impressed at her drive and determination to make the Gala Dinner a success. She has been organised and thorough in her planning – driven by her passion to support these inspirational men and women. I am looking forward to the Gala Dinner on the 16th September. It promises to be a fantastic and enjoyable evening.”
Edward Parker founded Walking With The Wounded with Simon Daglish in 2010 after his nephew was severely injured, losing both of his legs. Edward spent 10 years in the army, serving in the First Battalion Royal Green Jackets, stationed in the UK and Germany and seeing operational service in Northern Ireland. WWTW’s mission is to fund the re-training and re-education of servicemen and women, both veterans and those leaving the Armed Forces today. WWTW finance new qualifications, education and training programmes for those who are injured, to help with their career transition. This enables the blind, the burn victims, the mentally injured, the amputees and all the other wounded to rebuild their lives and to return to the workplace.
Edward commented: “I am always thrilled when a first contact with our beneficiaries inspires a fund-raising initiative like this. Charlotte’s efforts are hugely appreciated and I am very much looking forward to being at this super Gala Dinner on 16 September. With the money raised, we will be able to continue to do the vital work we are doing to support them back into the workplace after they leave the military. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone supporting Charlotte to organise her dinner, and Good Luck!”
There are sponsorship opportunities available to ensure funds raised at this event go towards assisting WWTW’s mission. Funds to host the Gala Dinner will be raised by holding small scale events, securing sponsorship and an auction. Donations for the auction are gratefully received for this cause. If you would like to attend or support this event please contact Charlotte Brumby before the 13 September.