Page 28 - QARANC Vol 15 No 1 2017

26 QARANC THE GAZETTE
Running For BLESMA
Having transferred from the Royal Army Medical Corps, I commenced my three-year Student Nurse training at Birmingham City University in January 2014. At the end of each year students have Consolidation and Preparation weeks, dedicated to enable students to review their progress to date and prepare for the next stage of their programme.
Having passed all elements of my degree, I was fortunate to be granted permission to travel to Cambodia and Vietnam to race a half marathon in each country on consecutive weekends. This was intended to develop individual skills such as proactivity, self- motivation and action planning and to raise money for the charity BLESMA, dedicated to assisting serving and ex- serving men and women who have suffered life-changing limb loss or the loss of use of a limb, an eye or loss of sight.
First up was the Angkor Wat International Half Marathon near Siem Reap in Cambodia. This takes place around world famous temples, Angkor Wat being the largest religious monument in the world. Within this spectacular setting you can spot monkeys and ancient ruins, as well as seeing local children smile as you high
five them as they spectate around the route! A bit different to cross country races back home!
The race presented some different challenges too. The temperature
during the day would rise to over 30 degrees Celsius, which meant a 04.30 am tuk tuk drive for a 6am race start! The race raises money for victims of land mines in the area, which has seen
The Museum of Military Medicine
In the Autumn 2016 Edition of ‘The Gazette’ it was reported that future plans for the Museum of Military Medicine (formerly the Army Medical Services Museum) included further exploration of Bute Street Station in Cardiff. Regrettably this option could not be progressed. However the Museum Trustees continue to pursue other options including a Cardiff City Council initiative regarding another site in the Cardiff area.
A conceptual plan for the new museum facility has been produced, and the appointed Architects will begin the task of refining the design into workable plans for construction and for submission as part of the planning application. It has been agreed that a planning application will be submitted in April 2017. At the beginning of March 2017 work will begin with the Project Smart consultants on the fundraising strategy to be pursued and the Museum sub-committee will begin work on the narrative for ‘the story’ to be told in the new museum facility.
All four Corps have now been contacted to request that their contributions towards the project should now be granted to the Museum, in order for it to meet its financial commitments. They advised that the ‘grant monies will, of course, be
restricted to the move project only’. The QARANC Board of Trustees agreed in August 2016 to make available, a sum of up to £100,000.00 (One hundred thousand pound) from the QARANC Association Central Fund towards the project. This grant would be subject to a satisfactory operational due diligence review which must meet the approval of the QARANC Association Board of Trustees. The QARANC Board of Trustees also requested that the Museum Trustees consider as to whether a specific reference to Army Nursing in the main signage on the new site (in addition to all other promotions and advertisements) could be effected. The Trustees also stipulated that should the project fail, the grant be returned to our Charity. Assurances were received from the Chairman of the Board of Trustees that these conditions would be met and QARANC interest in this project continues to be represented at Trustee level by Colonel Jane Davis (Colonel Commandant QARANC).
The QARANC Association remain committed to supporting the move of the Museum of Military Medicine and its preservation of so many of Corps artefacts and items of historical interest.
Chairman