A Paulton veteran from the 1st Battalion Light Infantry will be volunteering for a military fundraising march along Hadrian’s Wall to help raise awareness of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and to raise money for The Rifles Charity, Care for Casualties.

The march takes place from 20th – 22nd September in Northumberland, and is organised by Paul Cocoran, a Police Officer and retired Senior NCO Soldier. Last time he was at Hadrian’s Wall, he raised £5,000 by carrying a kitchen sink over 84 miles. In June 2018, he marched fifty volunteers over fifty miles from Hereford to Shrewsbury on the 50th Anniversary of his Regiment and raised £51,000.

This year, his aim is to raise £100,000 with the help of 175 volunteers, such as Paulton veteran, Paul Thorner.

Readers may see Paul out and about training for the challenge, which will involve each participant carrying a brick dedicated to those in the forces who have lost their lives on operations, or who have sadly taken their own lives as a result of their mental health. Paul will be carrying a 20kg backpack and four bricks, one in memory of 1LI Veteran, Glyn Woodland, who sadly passed away last year – each brick will have a brass plaque with the name of a loved one, engraved by apprentices.

He says: “At the moment, the backpack weighs 20 kilos; that is without my clothing and kit. I will be carrying four bricks in total in memory of loved ones. One for Veteran, Glyn Woodland, and three to represent family members, Barry Thorner, Margaret and Eric Goddard and David and Karen Goddard.

“The training has been going well, with walks across Burrington Combe and around local villages. I am walking up to ten miles in three hours carrying 20 kilos.

“I am under no illusion that this is going to be a tough challenge for us all, as Hadrian’s Wall is across some rough terrain, and we are all getting older!

“If you see me out training, please hoot or wave out, as your support is greatly appreciated.

I will be in Tesco on Saturday, 13th July collecting for this fantastic charity. Pop by and feel the weight of my kit bag!

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those that have sponsored me and donated money to this great fundraising march, in support of our troops and Veterans.”

Paul has recently raised extra funds with help from Paulton Rovers’ monthly Afternoon Tea event, which brought in a total of £431. Cakes were made by Jean Lockyear and Tesco supported the event as well, with tea, coffee and cakes.

The brick analogy comes from the weighted pressures that servicemen and women may find, compounded by outside stresses and strains. As each builds, the weight grows. At the end of every evening on the challenge, those taking part will bring all of the bricks together to build a wall of friends, raising a toast to fallen heroes with a local ale commissioned for the event. Once the fundraiser is complete, the named bricks will go to the Light Infantry Museum to go on display.

The fundraiser will raise money for the Care for Casualties Appeal, which was set up ten years ago to assist members of the Rifles Regiment following operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and has raised over £4 million to help pay for advice, jobs, training and holidays for personnel and their families.

62 in the regiment have been killed, thirty have lost one or more limbs, two have been blinded and two others are in neurological care in hospital and will be for the rest of their lives. 300 others have also sustained serious injuries, with most aged between 18 and 26-years-old. The charity is also keen to ensure that these soldiers do not suffer from PTSD, now or in the future, and provides support to this end.

More information can be found by searching ‘Not just another brick in the wall’ on Facebook. Should you wish to support Paul and the Veterans on this mission, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/paul-thorner