Below is a story that is in todays South Wales Argus
FAMILY and friends of Abergavenny soldier Private Richard Hunt raised more than £10,000 for army charities his memory in just ten weeks since his death.
Private Richard Hunt was the 200th soldier to die from fighting in Afghanistan.
He died aged 21 after being wounded in an explosion while on a vehicle patrol near Musa Qala in Helmand Province.
But since his death on August 13, his family and friends have vowed to do what they can to help other soldiers and their families.
Through donations, fundraisers and even by placing Help for Heroes collection boxes in local shops, Pte Hunt’s family and friends have raised between £10,000 and £11,000.
£7,000 of this has already gone to Help for Heroes, £1,700 to the Royal British Legion and £500 to the Royal Welsh troops currently in Afghanistan.
Pte Hunt’s mother Hazel Hunt said more money has been received on top of this increasing the total to what she estimates to be more than £10,000.
With the help of other trustees, all of whom are either friends or family members of Pte Hunt, Mrs Hunt has set up The Richard Hunt Foundation which they are in the process of establishing as a non-profitable charity.
This will be launched at the Angel Hotel in Abergavenny on November 27 and local businesses have been invited in the hope of them becoming sponsors of the charity.
The foundation has also written to Welsh personalities from the military, rugby and music worlds asking them to become patrons of the charity.
The aim of the foundation is to help individual soldiers attached to the Welsh regiments who come back psychologically or physically injured and to help them readjust.
Mrs Hunt said: “A lot of families struggle to help with equipment or making sure they get the right treatment . If we can’t help them we can point them in the right direction of people who can.”
Mrs Hunt said they are hoping to hold two or three major fundraising events per year and are already in discussions with Monmouthshire county council about holding a family fun day at Bailey Park in Abergavenny in May.
A charity music event is also planned for the Market Tavern in Abergavenny in January.
One of the foundation’s long-term aims is to set up an outdoor activities centre at the family’s home in Abergavenny which could be used by Welsh troops when coming back from their tours of duty.
Mrs Hunt said work with the Foundation is helping to keep her focused but that she has “up and down days”.
The Abandoned Soldier
A youthful face
With innocent cares,
Wide eyed child
With infant stares.
The child grew up
Played soldier games,
With sticks for guns
Pretending to maim.
Young boy left school
Sought to be a man,
To render peace
In Afghanistan.
But all too soon
The decision made,
Some years of his life
With the Army he’d trade.
Once training done
And off he flew,
To fight a war
In pastures new.
Soon a mortar attack,
Killed, outright four,
But ‘lucky’ for him
He was blown to the floor.
Though injuries sustained
Were incidental,
Not so physical
More like mental.
The cuts and bruises
Would heal away,
But the mental scars
With him they’d stay.
The career he’d wanted
As a child,
Became a curse
It drove him wild.
With visions of battle
That never would end,
He’d witnessed the death
Of his closest friend.
So he had to leave
The new family he trusted
With a broken head,
Psychologically busted.
He hoped they’d help
To resettle him.
Instead discarded,
Thrown in a bin.
Abandoned and left
To his own devices,
Thoughts of suicide
And similar vices.
So look what has happened
There is no one bolder
Than the man we call,
‘The Abandoned Soldier’.
Who fought for his Country
Over hundreds of years,
Did not die,
but is left,
With a wounded man’s tears.
© Mark Christmas
Poem above sent to us by Mark Christmas.