An army veteran forced to give up military life due to injury is pledging to plough “every penny” back into the charity that helped rebuild his life by embarking on Perth and Kinross’ greatest endurance challenge.
Royal Artillery veteran Lee Harris-Hamer (31), from North Yorkshire, is the new ambassador for ABF The Soldiers’ Charity’s Cateran Yomp, which challenges teams of soldiers, veterans and civilians to walk 22, 36 or 54 miles across the rugged terrain of the region’s countryside in less than 24 hours.
Participants will head off on the Cateran Trail - a 64-mile route between Blairgowrie, Alyth and Glenshee - in the foothills of the Cairngorm Mountains at 6am on Saturday, June 3, returning to Blairgowrie in the early hours of Sunday, June 4.
Last year’s event raised just over £500,000 with 630 participants travelling from as far as the US, Canada, Australia, Cyprus, Poland and the Netherlands.
Speaking at the launch of the 12th Cateran Yomp 2023 at Edinburgh Castle alongside the British Army’s most senior soldier, warrant officer class one Paul Carney, Lee is urging others to join him or sponsor the event which has raised over £4 million for the charity since its launch.
Father-of-one Lee joined the Royal Artillery in 2008 at the age of 17. Deployed to Afghanistan twice, he served a total of eight years, rising to the rank of Lance Bombardier. However, at the age of 24, a back injury dramatically ended his army career.
Lee struggled with feelings of worthlessness and developed anxiety and depression.
However, with a grant from ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, Lee was able to transform his future and now runs his own cleaning service employing 50 staff.
As a result of his own experiences, Lee is determined to give back.
“When I received the grant, I vowed to pay back every penny, whether in money or time and that’s what’s driving me as the ambassador and a participant in this year’s Cateran Yomp,” he said.
“Adversity hits you head-on but, in many ways, it’s an amazing thing.
“My experience has taught me the importance of perseverance, resilience and adapting; but I’ve also seen, first-hand, what can happen when someone gives you an opportunity and picks you up when you’re at rock bottom.
“ABF The Soldiers’ Charity sparked a wider ripple effect for me too - I’m now creating employment for around 50 people, giving local people opportunities to sustain themselves and their families, to upskill and strive for a better life.”
Looking to the future, the Cateran Yomp team hopes to raise £1m each year to match the growing need for support from soldiers, veterans and their families in Scotland.
Lee added: “Being discharged from the Army was absolutely devastating.
“I was injured, unemployed, lost my family home and, because I signed up at 17, had no qualifications or job history to speak of.
“I was lost and couldn’t see a future, so my mental health took a massive blow.
“However, with the help of ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, my life began to change.
“It wasn’t just down to the funding though; it’s the lifelong support they provide. The charity has allowed me to move on and carve out a future.”
Paul Carney, who is also a trustee of ABF The Soldiers’ Charity and took on the trail last year, added: “Having completed the Yomp in 2022 and currently training for this year’s event, I would urge businesses and individuals to get behind the Yomp, whether taking part, sponsoring or making a donation.”
In 2022, ABF The Soldiers’ Charity also nominated Lee for the ‘Soldiering On’ Awards.
He went on to win the ‘Business of the Year - Scale Up’ award, which honours an individual or group of individuals linked with the Armed Forces Community who have started a successful new venture more than two years ago and who still retain a minimum of 50 per cent interest in the venture.
Since 1944, ABF The Soldiers’ Charity has provided a lifetime of practical and financial assistance to soldiers, veterans and their families across the UK.
Major general Tim Hyams CB OBE, CEO ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, added: “With more people signing up to the Cateran Yomp every day, we look forward to seeing hundreds of soldiers, veterans and civilians take on the challenge this year. We wish our participants all the very best with their training over the next few months.”
