Armed Forces parents fundraising for ‘godsend’ SSAFA

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29 April 2024

“I can honestly say without the Norton House projects, I don't know what I would have done.”

Welsh Guard Joe Penlington was 18 when he deployed to Afghanistan in April 2009, but just a few short weeks later, he was caught in a devastating IED blast that left him with life-changing injuries.

Ahead of the 15th anniversary of the incident in Helmand Province, his mum and step-dad – Cheryl and Arwel Edwards of Mold, Flintshire – will step off on a 100-mile walk along the West Highland Way on May 11 for SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity which provided such help to Joe.

Explaining why, Cheryl says: “When Joe was injured, he was brought back to the UK to Selly Oak, Birmingham, where he was in hospital for four months. For three of those months, I stayed at Norton House.”

SSAFA’s Norton House, Stanford Hall has been welcoming families since Autumn 2018.

It provides free, safe, and supportive accommodation to families whose loved ones are receiving treatment for injuries at the nearby Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre.

Norton House also provides a haven for those being treated, to allow them a break from the hospital environment, as well as having peace of mind knowing their families are in a safe and supportive environment.

Cheryl continued, saying: “Once Joe was moved to Headley Court [Surrey], I travelled down each weekend to see him and again stayed at a Norton House at Ashtead.

“I can honestly say without the Norton House projects, and the amazing support of the teams there, I don't know what I would have done.

“Having that space to come back to was a godsend at the end of a difficult day, or in later months, for us all to be together as a family away from a hospital environment.”

Cheryl adds: “I've done a couple of other fundraisers for SSAFA at key anniversary milestone years as it's important to me to continue to support the charity that does an outstanding job of supporting serving and veteran personnel.

“It's my way to say thank you for what you did for me and mine and to give something back.”

SSAFA knows that the Armed Forces is a community, and whether serving or retired or their families, it believes that no-one should battle on alone.