A stunning installation honouring seven ‘Game Changers’ from across the UK has been unveiled to kick-off The National Lottery’s 30th birthday celebrations.
Portraits of the seven appeared today on the water at London’s iconic St. James’s Park in recognition of their game-changing impact on their respective communities.
Created by renowned grandmaster graffiti artist Luis Gomez De Teran, the images on Perspex screens appear to float on the water at the Royal Park and were unveiled by broadcaster, Adele Roberts.
Among those featured is Ed Parker MBE, who founded veteran charity Walking with the Wounded in 2010 after his nephew, Harry, lost both of his legs in Afghanistan and had to readjust to a very different version of normality.
What was being portrayed publicly at that time, was a tale of pity and sorrow for those who had been injured in the war. However, when Ed went to visit Harry in hospital, what he saw was very different; men and women, many whose lives would never be the same again, already determined to work out how to overcome their injuries.
As a result, the mission of the charity is to empower military veterans facing serious challenges to find their place in society again – those who have lost limbs, but also the hundreds of thousands who are coping with less visible ailments – by offering integral support with issues such as housing, employment and mental health.
With the help of £20,000 of National Lottery funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, and fundraising efforts such as a North and South Pole expedition with Prince Harry, Ed and Walking with the Wounded have had an extraordinary impact for veterans across the country.
“The backstory for how Walking with the Wounded was started is a family one,” said Ed Parker MBE (pictured above).
“Despite being a soldier myself and being perfectly aware of the dangers, after my nephew Harry stepped on an Improvised Explosive Device in Helmand Province in July 2009 and lost both of his legs, visiting him in hospital felt brutal.
“However, the mood among all of these young people in hospital was one of resolve and determination, and I strongly felt that this was the story that should be told.
“We set up Walking with the Wounded to provide support to the veteran community and those who have fallen the furthest through the societal cracks.
“The charity has gone on to provide programmes that, over the years, have transformed the lives and futures of ex-service personnel and their families. I am honoured to be a National Lottery Game Changer, the support and funding they provide to charities like this one truly makes an extraordinary difference.”
To mark the 30th anniversary of the first draw in 1994, The National Lottery is celebrating 30 inspirational people - Game Changers - who have achieved amazing things across the UK in the last 30 years, with the help of National Lottery funding.
28 Game Changers will be revealed in September and October at four installations focussing on an area of National Lottery funding, including the arts & film, heritage, sport and community.
The final two Game Changers will be announced on The National Lottery’s New Year’s Eve Big Bash scheduled for broadcast on ITV on 31 December.
Featured alongside Ed in the first installation at St James's Park are Marcus Fair, founder of Eternal Media, Trevor Lyttleton MBE, founder of Re-Engage (formerly Contact the Elderly), Dame Laura Lee, CEO of Maggie's cancer care charity for 23 years, Sandra Igwe, founder of The Motherhood Group, Javeno McLean, personal trainer, community champion and owner of the award-winning J7 Health Centre in North Manchester and Conor Largey, Belfast Youth Worker and Empowering Young People Coordinator.
To find out more visit https://www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/gamechangers
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