Stuart Taylor to Talk Today at Global Summit on Mental Health in London

Stuart Taylor to Talk Today at Global Summit on Mental Health in London

Today, at London Health Culture Change, AFF’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Stuart Taylor, will be talking on a panel to explore the opportunity that adaptive sports programs, challenge events and other non-traditional approaches create for post traumatic growth for those who have experienced trauma and loss.  Other speakers on the panel include;

  • Bronwen Evans, Chief Executive Officer, True Patriot Love
  • Ken Falke, Chief Executive Officer, Boulder Crest Foundation, EOD Warrior Foundation
  • Emma Wiggs, MBE, World and Paralympic Para Canoe Champion

The 2nd Global Summit on Mental Health Culture Change in London builds on the tremendous success of Give an Hour and its Campaign to Change Direction’s first Global Summit held in Los Angeles in May 2017. Give an Hour, in collaboration with other international partners, brings this exciting gathering to London.   The Global Summit is showcasing organizations that are using groundbreaking ways they and the attendees are removing cultural biases that affect how we think about, talk about and address emotional well-being and mental health.

2018 Cateran Yomp Conquered – 54 Miles in 24 Hours

For Immediate Release:
Contact: Tracey Edwards, Director of Marketing
Phone: (540) 272-5388
Email: [email protected]

Media & Marketing: [email protected]

Website: www.alliedforcesfoundation.org

 

2018 Cateran Yomp Conquered – 54 Miles in 24 Hours
Allied Forces Foundation Team of 100 participates march in the annual ABF Cateran Yomp endurance hike through the foothills of Scotland’s Perth & Kinross countryside.
LEESBURG, VA  – June 20, 2018

 

Allied Forces Foundation team ready to take the challenge hosted by the ABF The Soldier’s Charity Cateran Yomp 2018, Perthshire, Scotland.

 

For the fifth consecutive year, the Allied Forces Foundation (AFF) participated in the ultimate charity walk, ABF’s The Soldier’s Charity Cateran Yomp in Perthshire, Scotland. This annual event challenges its participants to hike across the Scottish Highlands for 22 miles, 36.5 miles or 54 miles within a 24-hour period. This year’s Team AFF included 75 wounded, ill, or injured veterans or active duty service men and women from the United States, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Georgia and Denmark.  Additionally, Team AFF Cateran Yomp 2018 finishers broke two course records!  We had 3 amputees finish the entire 54-mile “gold” level course, which had never previously been accomplished, and a Danish husband and wife team completed the entire course in 11 hours, 22 minutes.  The majority of the Team AFF completed the 36.5-mile “silver” level course and everyone achieved their personal goals of taking part.

Physical endurance challenges, like the Cateran Yomp, deliver an opportunity for wounded, ill, and injured participants to come together with other active-duty and veterans who are facing similar experiences. It enhances the relationship between the wounded, ill, and injured personnel from nations who fought side by side together on the battlefield as allies and the Yomp provides the chance to share stories and advice as they fight together for recovery, renew their self-confidence, re-establish self-esteem, and provide a focus for rehabilitation.

“My participation in The Cateran Yomp, facilitated by the Allied Forces Foundation, was one of the top 5 experiences in my life,” said Todd Reed, an U.S. Army Special Forces and Arizona Police Department veteran and member of the 2018 Team AFF. “As a right foot and ankle amputee since 1991 due to a land mine injury sustained in North Iraq, I am blessed to be the first amputee to ever complete the 54-mile Yomp and to do so in 21 hours, 49 minutes!  This event brought heroes from different services and countries together.  The bonding with the other soldiers has been missing in my life since I retired.  It was an amazing event and week which helped so many realize they can conquer and do things they may have questioned before.  I am so blessed to be a part of this year’s Team AFF and plan to help the Allied Forces Foundation in any way I can for the rest of my life.”

 

During the week of June 6-13, 2018, Team AFF members not only participated in the Yomp, but they enjoyed Scottish cultural visits to the Edinburgh Castle, Black Watch Museum, and  National William Wallace Monument, Regimental Dinner Night hosted by 7th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland in the Officers Mess in Perth as well as the fun of learning the skills needed to enter in  the Wounded Warrior Highland Games at picturesque Loch Tay supported by Wild Fox Events and Lord Peregrine Moncreiffe. Logistical support for the week was provided by 45 Commando Group, Royal Marines.

Team AFF gratefully appreciates the supports of our numerous sponsor to include Patagonia, Lockheed Martin, Harquebus International, and the Scottish Government.  Without their generous support, the Allied Forces Foundation would not be able to fund this experience for our wounded, ill, and injured heroes.

About Allied Forces Foundation, Inc.

Allied Forces Foundation, Inc. (AFF) is a British-American nonprofit foundation established to raise awareness and funding for allied wounded affected by recent conflicts.  Incorporated in the Commonwealth of Virginia, AFF is registered with the IRS as a tax exempt 501(c)(3) organization.  More information is available at www.alliedforcesfoundation.org.

 

###

 

MCM Support

If you’re in the Washington DC area and aren’t up for running a marathon you can still help our wounded, ill and injured service people and veterans by joining our support team!

We’re looking for volunteers to staff our extra water stations along the Marine Corps Marathon route on October 22. We’re also looking for donations of bottled water and oranges or other supplies to help fuel the AFF Team SideXSide runners. It’s a great day out and whilst doing your bit.

Please contact [email protected] if you can help!