WOUNDED veterans from Herefordshire will represent their country at an international sporting event for sick and injured servicemen and women.

Matthew Aspinall, 32 and Mark Howells, 40, both live in Herefordshire and will compete at the Warrior Games next month in Colorado Springs in the US.

Both men are part of a team of 40 veterans and service personnel who have been chosen to represent the UK by charity Help For Heroes.

The UK team will take part in nine adaptive sports: athletics, archery, cycling, indoor rowing, sitting volleyball, shooting, swimming, powerlifting and wheelchair basketball.

Matthew will be competing in swimming, athletics, indoor rowing and wheelchair basketball and he has been supported by Help For Heroes due to his experience of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after serving in Iraq, Germany and Cyprus.

Matthew said: “I have regained a sense of me, I am starting to take a pride in my appearance, having my hair cut, shaving again. I am feeling good that I have been chosen to represent the UK and that others must believe in me and seen something in me that they liked.”

Competing alongside Matthew will be Mark Howells.

Mark, originally from Swansea, served as a Regular with the Army and is currently with a unit in Cardiff.  He’s suffered third-degree burns and now has severe anxiety and depression. This combined with back pain affects his ability to carry out his daily activities. 

Mark is competing in the road bike events is helping him to achieve is potential: “Taking part in the Warrior Games has given me back the confidence and structure to be a better human being, husband and father. The benefits of this year’s Warrior Games will pay dividends for my family and myself in the future. 

"Utilising sport in conjunction with pause rewind therapy, has aided my recovery. I have so far in my recovery journey challenged both my body and mind to their limits in pursuit of my own excellence.” 

Martin Colclough, head of sports recovery at Help for Heroes said: “We know how important sport is as part of an individual’s recovery, not only does it help physically, sport empowers Veterans and provides huge psychological benefits too including improving self-confidence and self-esteem.

"The Warrior Games provides the opportunity for these men and women to proudly serve their country again and have a second chance at life. Through these Games, they get to experience being part of a team again, something the military often miss after suffering a life-changing injury or illness.

He continued: “The Warrior Games team represents just 40 of our wounded heroes; there are thousands more out there that need our support, for life. We’d encourage anyone who wants to try something new as part of their recovery to get in touch with Help for Heroes, there’s something on offer for everyone.”