Mark Francois, MP for Rayleigh and Wickford, was recently joined by Olympic Bronze Medalist, Beth Tweddle, to perform the official opening of the £27 million Battle Back Centre at Lilleshall, in Staffordshire.
The centre, which is funded by the The Royal British Legion, in partnership with the Ministry of Defence, provides sports and adventurous activities, including wheelchair basketball, archery, indoor climbing, water sports and clay shooting, to help the recovery of wounded, injured and sick service personnel from all three Services, including those who have served in Afghanistan.
In his capacity as Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans, Mark gave a speech to all those who had helped to ensure the project was able to happen, including the Royal British Legion, staff members and military personnel who are now able to benefit from the centre, before taking a tour of the facilities. Mark then volunteered to take part in a fast and furious game of wheelchair basketball with a group of injured service personnel.
Commenting on his visit to Mark Francois said:
"It was a great honour to celebrate the opening of the new Battle Back Centre in Lilleshall. This represents a significant milestone in the delivery of the Defence Recovery Capability and it is a shining example of what can be achieved when the Government and the charitable sector work together to ensure our wounded, injured and sick personnel receive the very best care and support.
"I am extremely grateful to the Royal British Legion and all of our other partners for their hard work and generosity in delivering these important services around the country."