Airsoft Community Supporting P.T.S.D
This patch has been designed, produced and donated by friends/supporters of RBLI who have raised nearly £30,000 selling patches like this for our charity.
This velcro patch is appoximately 9.5cm in width, 4.5cm in height.
Paul Sapsford and Tim Brown have raised the money selling unique patches to players of Airsoft, raising awareness of PTSD in the process and funds for RBLI.
Former electrical engineer Paul’s world was turned upside-down when he was came into contact with live wires while renovating a hotel in 2005 – he only survived thanks to a quick-thinking apprentice who knocked him off his ladder.
The 56-year-old struggled to come to terms with the experience and found himself out-of-work before eventually being diagnosed with PTSD.
Paul moved from job to job but found his mental health and injuries were holding him back in life. Paul said:
“Then I found help with Royal British Legion Industries,” Paul added. “They organised for me to have counselling and supported me with getting back to work. Without doubt it’s the greatest decision I made following the accident.”
Paul found help from RBLI’s Maidstone office which provides support to veterans and civilians like Paul, before then taking part in an RBLI Wellbeing course run at the charity’s Aylesford head office last year. He now works at Audley Mote Retirement Village as a maintenance operative.
But it was during his recovery that Paul was introduced to Airsoft where he would find inspiration for his fundraising. “It was a new world that I entered into and gave me an escape,” Paul said.
Paul joined forces with Tim Brown, who runs the Pew Pew Airsoft Community Facebook community page, and Tim's Daughter Nicole to help raise awareness of PTSD and funds for the charity during its 2019 centenary year.
“As RBLI helped me so much – I was desperate to give something back,” Paul added.
Here at RBLI we have 100 years of supporting people with challenges such as PTSD and whilst RBLI is a military charity at its core, over recent decades we have expanded our services to the wider community, such as individuals with disabilities or those struggling to find work, so that we can further improve the lives of the most vulnerable in society.
We are incredibly thankful to the ingenuity of both Paul and Tim and his son and daughter, Chris and Nicole, and the Airsoft community for having raised such a phenomenal amount for our services.”
We hope you enjoy this product.
