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Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
'Powerful story' of triple amputee shared at RAF Brize Norton event day
An event held at RAF Brize Norton heard from a triple amputee injured in the line of duty as he told his "powerful story". Mark Ormrod MBE, a veteran who lost both legs and an arm while serving as a Royal Marine in 2007 and who is now an athlete, author and motivational speaker, spoke at the Carterton base's Resilience Day hosted by the Tactical Medical Wing. His "powerful story of resilience" resonated with the team and encouraged reflection and conversation on how personnel can better support themselves and each other. READ MORE: Westgate Oxford man who 'fled on rooftop' charged and named Mr Ormrod said: "Today was not only a huge honour for me but it was also a bit of a full circle moment. "17 years after having my life saved in Afghanistan by the Medical Emergency Response Team I had the privilege of sharing my story with them. Mark Ormrod and Group Captain Charlotte Thompson at the resilience day event, RAF Brize Norton (Image: RAF Brize Norton / Paul Crouch) "What made it extra special was that one of the medics primarily responsible for saving my life Group Captain Charlie Thompson was able to be there to tell part of the story from her perspective. "The Veteran owned company I'm part of also got to delivery a resilience workshop to the team with many of the lesson born from the experiences and lessons we learned from leading and operating in combat." Help support trusted local news Sign up for a digital subscription now: As a digital subscriber you will get: Unlimited access to the Oxford Mail website Advert-light access Reader rewards Full access to our app The day also included a human performance workshop and concluded with a physically demanding Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu session, lead by RAF Brize Norton coaches, pushing participants outside their comfort zones. This offered the team both a physical challenge and "a valuable opportunity for stress release, camaraderie, and laughter" according to the air base. Group Captain Charlotte Thompson ARRC KHN, AH Med Pers and training and director of nursing services said: "I commend the Tactical Medical Wing for recognising the importance of resilience training within their squadron. "In the context of ongoing conflict in Europe and the immense pressure on medical services, equipping personnel with effective coping strategies, and the ability to recognise signs of stress in others, is absolutely essential. READ MORE: Oxford bridge cordoned off by police in incident "It was a pleasure to reconnect with Mark Ormrod today, a former patient of mine from Operation Herrick. Mark Ormrod and Group Captain Charlotte Thompson sharing their story at the event (Image: RAF Brize Norton / Paul Crouch) "Despite the life-changing injuries he sustained, his inspirational talk offered powerful insights into resilience and mental strength. "I also applaud RAF Brize Norton for supporting this vital training, which should be made available to all personnel." Resilience lead for the Operations Squadron, Sergeant Danielle Thorpe-Gray, EM Nurse added: "One of my key priorities has been to create development opportunities that invest in the wellbeing of our personnel. READ MORE: Cause of devasting house fire found in Oxfordshire village "Our aim is to equip our highly skilled clinicians with practical mental and physical tools to help them thrive in high-pressure environments, while also strengthening team cohesion. "Yesterday's Resilience Day was a reflection of that commitment. We were honoured to be joined by Mark Ormrod, whose powerful story of resilience deeply resonated with the team." RAF Brize Norton regularly hosts this kind of initiative to maintain the wellbeing and operational readiness of teams.
Scottish Sun
5 days ago
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Taliban ‘already murdering Afghans linked to foreign military' days after chilling warning over MoD ‘kill list' leak
A number of named individuals have been killed since the leak Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE TALIBAN are reportedly already murdering Afghans linked to foreign militaries - days after a huge MoD data leak. Fears have been growing over the safety of more than 18,000 Afghans whose details were included on the secret list. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 The Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in August 2021 Credit: Getty 3 Details of almost 20,000 refugees fleeing the Taliban were leaked after a top secret email was sent to the wrong person Credit: AP 3 A number of named individuals have already been assassinated Credit: AFP A number of named individuals have been assassinated since the leak with one man shot four times in the chest at close range on Monday one of three assassinations in the past week according to the Mail. It comes after the Taliban sent a chilling warning that it will hunt down thousands of Afghan refugees on a "kill list" after the UK's huge data breach. Details of almost 20,000 refugees fleeing the Taliban were leaked after a Royal Marine mistakenly sent a top secret email to the wrong people. Since then panic has been spreading as up to 100,000 could face deadly repercussions from ruthless Taliban rulers who hunt down and kill anyone who helped the UK forces. Read more News MONSTER'S SICK TAUNT Evil Soham murderer Ian Huntley sparks fury with vile victims taunt But sources have insisted it was impossible to prove conclusively whether it was a direct result of the data breach. Afghans were informed on Tuesday that their personal details had been lost including names, phone numbers and their family's details as well as other details that could help the Taliban hunt them down. It is not yet known whether the Taliban is in possession of the database. It includes names of Afghans as well as the names of their individual UK sponsors including SAS and MI6 spies and at least one Royal Marine Major General. One Afghan soldier who fled to Britain in fear of retribution, believes his brother was shot in the street this week because the Taliban believed he was affiliated to the UK. "If or when the Taliban have this list, then killings will increase – and it will be Britain's fault," he said. Taliban warns thousands of Afghans secretly airlifted to UK 'we will HUNT you down' "There will be many more executions like the one on Monday." He is convinced his sibling was executed because of his own association with Afghan special forces, known as the Triples. He believes that the Taliban sought revenge on his family instead as news of his brother's murder reached him in Britain within an hour of the execution. A day later, Taliban fighters dragged a woman from her home and beat her in the street. A former British military interpreter who witnessed the attack claimed it was because the woman's husband "worked for the West" and is now hiding in Iran. Taliban officials have claimed the details of all the refugees have been known to them since 2022, after they allegedly sourced the information from the internet. A dossier listing more than 300 murders includes those who worked with the UK and some who had applied for the UK's Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme. This includes senior Afghan intelligence officer, Colonel Shafiq Ahmad Khan, a 61-year-old grandfather who had worked alongside British forces. He was shot in the heart on his doorstep in May 2022. There has been fury this week over the data breach's deadly implications with one angry former interpreter saying: "We risked our lives for the UK standing beside them day after day, now they are risking our lives again." The epic MoD blunder was kept Top Secret for almost three years by a legal super injunction. And the government is still battling the courts to keep details behind the Afghan data leak secret. Thousands of the refugees had to be secretly relocated to the UK and it is set to cost Britain up to £7 billion. A total of 18,714 Afghans were included on the secret list, many of whom arrived via unmarked planes which landed at Stansted airport. Many of the Afghans who were flown into the country as part of Operation Rubific were initially housed at MoD homes or hotels until permanent accommodation was found. Only around 10 to 15 per cent of the individuals on the list would have qualified for relocation under the emergency Afghan Relocation and Assistance Programme, known as ARAP, opened as Kabul fell to the Taliban. But the leak means many more now have a valid claim for assistance and relocation.
Powys County Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Powys County Times
Starmer holds ‘constructive' call with Taoiseach on Troubles legacy plans
Sir Keir Starmer stressed the importance of 'consensus' in handling the legacy of the Troubles as he spoke to his Irish counterpart on Friday. In a phone call with Taoiseach Micheal Martin, the Prime Minister had what Downing Street described as a 'constructive discussion' on dealing with the legacy of the 30-year conflict in Northern Ireland. A Number 10 spokesperson said the two men had 'underscored the importance of a way forward that built consensus', before turning to economic issues and the UK-EU relationship. Mr Martin himself echoed Downing Street's comments, tweeting that he had had a 'constructive discussion with British PM Keir Starmer today on a framework for dealing with legacy'. The call came as Sir Keir faces pressure from some of his own backbenchers over plans to repeal and replace legislation passed by the previous government that halted investigations into all but the most serious allegations involving Troubles-related cases. The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act has been criticised by human rights campaigners for granting conditional immunity to suspects. That provision was ruled incompatible with human rights laws by the Northern Irish courts, prompting Labour to commit to replacing legislation it described as 'flawed and failed'. But that proposal has brought condemnation from former British soldiers who fear it will open the way to vexatious prosecutions and civil claims. Opponents are also reported to include some Labour MPs, including veterans minister Al Carns. A former Royal Marine and special forces officer, Mr Carns was reported by The Times to be considering resigning over plans to repeal the Legacy Act. But earlier in the week, Downing Street said the Government was 'working in lockstep' on the issue.
South Wales Guardian
6 days ago
- Politics
- South Wales Guardian
Starmer holds ‘constructive' call with Taoiseach on Troubles legacy plans
In a phone call with Taoiseach Micheal Martin, the Prime Minister had what Downing Street described as a 'constructive discussion' on dealing with the legacy of the 30-year conflict in Northern Ireland. A Number 10 spokesperson said the two men had 'underscored the importance of a way forward that built consensus', before turning to economic issues and the UK-EU relationship. Mr Martin himself echoed Downing Street's comments, tweeting that he had had a 'constructive discussion with British PM Keir Starmer today on a framework for dealing with legacy'. The call came as Sir Keir faces pressure from some of his own backbenchers over plans to repeal and replace legislation passed by the previous government that halted investigations into all but the most serious allegations involving Troubles-related cases. The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act has been criticised by human rights campaigners for granting conditional immunity to suspects. That provision was ruled incompatible with human rights laws by the Northern Irish courts, prompting Labour to commit to replacing legislation it described as 'flawed and failed'. But that proposal has brought condemnation from former British soldiers who fear it will open the way to vexatious prosecutions and civil claims. Opponents are also reported to include some Labour MPs, including veterans minister Al Carns. A former Royal Marine and special forces officer, Mr Carns was reported by The Times to be considering resigning over plans to repeal the Legacy Act. But earlier in the week, Downing Street said the Government was 'working in lockstep' on the issue. A Ministry of Defence source also played down the prospect of Mr Carns quitting, but told the PA news agency it was a 'tricky issue' and 'when you are making policy there is always going to be debate internally'.
Rhyl Journal
6 days ago
- Politics
- Rhyl Journal
Starmer holds ‘constructive' call with Taoiseach on Troubles legacy plans
In a phone call with Taoiseach Micheal Martin, the Prime Minister had what Downing Street described as a 'constructive discussion' on dealing with the legacy of the 30-year conflict in Northern Ireland. A Number 10 spokesperson said the two men had 'underscored the importance of a way forward that built consensus', before turning to economic issues and the UK-EU relationship. Mr Martin himself echoed Downing Street's comments, tweeting that he had had a 'constructive discussion with British PM Keir Starmer today on a framework for dealing with legacy'. The call came as Sir Keir faces pressure from some of his own backbenchers over plans to repeal and replace legislation passed by the previous government that halted investigations into all but the most serious allegations involving Troubles-related cases. The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act has been criticised by human rights campaigners for granting conditional immunity to suspects. That provision was ruled incompatible with human rights laws by the Northern Irish courts, prompting Labour to commit to replacing legislation it described as 'flawed and failed'. But that proposal has brought condemnation from former British soldiers who fear it will open the way to vexatious prosecutions and civil claims. Opponents are also reported to include some Labour MPs, including veterans minister Al Carns. A former Royal Marine and special forces officer, Mr Carns was reported by The Times to be considering resigning over plans to repeal the Legacy Act. But earlier in the week, Downing Street said the Government was 'working in lockstep' on the issue. A Ministry of Defence source also played down the prospect of Mr Carns quitting, but told the PA news agency it was a 'tricky issue' and 'when you are making policy there is always going to be debate internally'.
