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A soldier in Afghanistan

Running round the Isle of Wight to support veterans and service personnel at risk of suicide

26th October 2023

Ex-servicemen Tom Burgess and Adam Gornell are getting ready to run round the Isle of Wight in 24 hours, starting on Ryde Pier on Saturday 28 October.

Supported by Wightlink, the pair have founded Save A Warrior UK to work with veterans and serving military personnel and emergency services workers living with complex post-traumatic stress who are at risk of committing suicide. Their epic 71-mile-run aims to raise £25,000 to pay for the first ten individuals to attend a unique three-day residential programme in Cornwall early in 2024. Save A Warrior UK uses interventions and techniques pioneered by Save a Warrior USA to transform troubled lives.

38 year old Tom, formerly of the RAF Regiment, and Adam, a 42 year old ex-Royal Marine, have both served in Iraq and Afghanistan and know this kind of initiative is desperately needed.

Before he joined up in 2003, Tom had suffered from feelings of low self-worth. “The military eased that pain for me,” he says. “My service career was a proud moment of my life. I served my country and proved to the kid I once was that I was bigger than the bullies at school.

“I felt comfortable deployed overseas and felt like my life made sense whilst walking the dusty streets of Kandahar, Helmand and Basrah.”

But when he came home: “I would miss being away and hated the mundane tasks of life, so I turned to alcohol, fighting and extreme sports to give me the buzz I craved.”

At the beginning of this year: “I was hit with the news of another suicide within my circle of friends that I had served with, followed by another and a few months later, another. “So far this year, I am aware of four who have taken their own lives, and of course, there are many more from our community.”

The residential retreat will be free to the individuals, provided they are ‘honest, open, willing and chemically sober’ and will be followed by a 500-day, peer-led community support programme.  

For more information please contact:

Duty Media Officer