British Cycling Helps Heroes to Battle Back

British Cycling Helps Heroes to Battle Back

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Published: 26 June 2013

Above: British Cycling Coach Education Tutor Marshall Thomas delivers a Level 2 Certificate in Coaching Cycling course at Help for Heroes' Tedworth House. 

British Cycling has announced a new initiative with Help for Heroes to help wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans rebuild their lives.

Help for Heroes has long championed Sport in Recovery through initiatives such as Battle Back, an MOD initiative funded by Help for Heroes, which uses Adaptive Sport and Adventurous Training to help seriously wounded Service personnel lead active, independent and fulfilling lives.

In support of the work done for wounded servicemen and women, British Cycling is delivering a Level 2 Certificate in Coaching Cycling and a Level 2 Coaching Riders with Disability course for members of staff from Help for Heroes who deliver the Battle Back programme.

John Mills, Director of Coaching, Education and Development at British Cycling, said: “The aim of the initiative is to support the instructors at Help for Heroes and help them to develop their ability to coach cycling as part of the recovery programme for wounded service personnel.

“Sport can play a key role in aiding the recovery of our heroes and we are proud to work with the Battle Back programme, which has made a real difference to the lives of so many.”

Since the Battle Back programme was established in 2008, Help for Heroes has been able to help over 1,500 wounded, injured and sick individuals, who have been supported through activities such as cycling, sailing and swimming.

Jon Paul Nevin, Lead Strength and Conditioning Coach, Help for Heroes said: “Cycling has a proven track record as an excellent recovery activity for wounded, injured, and sick service personnel. Developing the cycling coaching skills of our staff will help in the delivery of safe, effective, and enjoyable cycling specific training for the individuals we support.”

Above: Jon Paul Nevin, Lead Strength and Conditioning Coach at Help for Heroes' Tedworth House shares handcycle knowledge during the British Cycling Level 2 Certificate in Coaching Cycling course.

Help for Heroes has recently developed a close relationship with the British Paralympic Association and work to identify wounded personnel who show a talent for a particular sport or who would like to work in the sport sector, through the initiative, Frontline to Startline.

"It is great to see British Cycling strengthening the skills of the instructors, who play such an important role in helping our heroes to recover."

Jon-Allan Butterworth, triple silver medallist at London 2012 Paralympic Games.

British Cycling’s Jon-Allan Butterworth (above) joined the RAF and lost his left arm during a rocket attack on Basra Air Station in 2007. After taking part in the first Help for Heroes Hero Ride a year after the attack, Jon-Allan attended a selection weekend and joined the Para-Cycling talent programme in April 2009.

He has never looked back, becoming a World Champion, world record holder and three time Paralympic silver medallist at London 2012.

Jon-Allan said: “Programmes like Battle Back are absolutely vital and it is great to see British Cycling strengthening the skills of the instructors, who play such an important role in helping our heroes to recover. Battle Back encourages servicemen to overcome and embrace new challenges in life – something I would have struggled to do without cycling and the support of my coach.”

British Cycling is currently developing its coaching courses to ensure that coaches have the ability to support riders of all abilities – both able-bodied and riders with a disability. To find out more about the coaching courses available, please visit: https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/coaching.