City rallies round soldiers

9:29pm Thursday 3rd July 2008

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A financial adviser has raised thousands of pounds to help injured soldiers coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Adam Cook, of AETC Associates Ltd, in Wilsden, was inspired to raise more than £15,000 after seeing an injured Bradford soldier being interviewed on television.

He presented the money last night to the Help for Heroes charity which hopes to build a pool and gym complex at Headley Court, a defence medical rehabilitation centre in Surrey.

Mr Cook, 40, and his wife Helen held a charity dinner at the Cedar Court Hotel, in Bradford.

“We rang round people we knew and businesses we dealt with to see if there was any interest,” he said. “After one afternoon we had promises of 15 tables.”

The dinner was attended by a host of famous and respected people and organisations such as Bradford City Football Club and Yorkshire Bank.

The prizes they offered included the chance to be a chairman of the Bantams for a day, a glove and ball from Tiger Woods and a table in Gordon Ramsay’s Claridge’s restaurant.

Mr Cook said: “I think people are starting to respect what the Armed Forces are doing rather than just sweeping it under the carpet.

“Whether people agree or disagree with the war, at the end of the day these soldiers are employed by the Armed Forces and they are doing their job.

“So if they are doing what their country asks them to do they should be treated with a bit of respect.”

Two Bradford soldiers have been treated at Headley Court in the past two years after suffering injuries while on tour abroad.

Private Carl Clowes, of Bradford, was 21 when he had to have his lower left leg amputated after suffering horrific injuries in a land mine blast in Afghanistan.

Royal Marine Steven Spiwak, of Denholme, was also 21 when he was shot storming a Taliban fortress.

A bullet shattered his right foot in the attack in which a friend was also injured and Lance Corporal Matthew Ford was killed.

Warrant Officer second class Jim Moran, a member of the 299 Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers (Volunteers) based in Wakefield who was one of those who received the cheque, said Mr Cook’s efforts were “a fantastic job”.

He said: “That much money in one night I personally think was incredible.

“The way people in the Armed Forces are trained is not to go and look for this, you have to just get on with the job.

“But then you get home and find people have done things like this, it just makes you feel incredible.”

Anyone interested in organising an event or making a donation to Help For Heroes can go to helpforheroes.org .uk or contact 0845 673760.