ABF The Soldiers’ Charity has teamed up with the Armed Forces Para Snowsport Team (AFPST), made up of Wounded, Injured and Sick (WIS) soldiers and veterans, to help in its delivery of therapy and rehabilitation through snowsports. The charity will be sponsoring the team so that more serving and ex-Service men and women can take part at all levels in alpine and Nordic skiing, and snowboarding.
The AFPST, formerly Combined Services Disabled Ski Team (CSDST), was set up by in 2008 to help WIS soldiers’ and veterans’ recovery through performance alpine skiing, snowboarding and Nordic skiing. It currently has around 20 athletes competing in all three disciplines, with several potentially taking part in the 2018 Winter Paralympic Games Olympics, which will be held in PyeongChang, South Korea.
The Team’s Chairman, Brigadier Fred Hargreaves OBE comments: “All of our athletes are exceptional young men and women who have given so much in the service of their country. We have found that winter sports provides a focus for these athletes, and for WIS soldiers and veterans to regain their spirit of challenge and competition. Working with The Soldiers’ Charity will allow more people to benefit from this snow-sport therapy.”
Brigadier (Ret’d) Robin Bacon, Chief of Staff ABF The Soldiers’ Charity adds: “Rehabilitation through sports has just been shown how successful it can be with the Invictus Games, and with several former servicemen and women taking part in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. The AFPST is a fantastic charity that provides an avenue of therapy that is tough and demanding, which is something most soldiers and veterans will relish. The Charity is looking forward to seeing the AFPST excel in all the winter disciplines they are pushing for excellence in.”