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Members of 3rd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment, Anti-Tanks, are in position on the drop zone whilst a Hercules C130 flies over head dropping equipment. British Paratroopers have mounted a rapid airborne deployment into Ukraine. Elements of 16 Air Assault Brigade began landing on the 15th of September as part of Exercise Joint Endeavour, with a total of 250 soldiers deploying by air from the UK within 3 days. The multinational exercise will see the paratroopers take part in joint training alongside their Ukrainian Counterparts, 3rd Battalion the 80th Separate Air Assault Brigade. The aim is to test the ability of the UK to move rapidly to support its allies should the need arise, providing reassurance to our Ukrainian partners. The 3 PARA Battlegroup includes troops from the 3rd Battalion the Parachute Regiment, as well as specialists from 13 Air Assault Support Regiment Royal Logistic Corps, 23 Parachute Engineer Regiment, 216 (Para) Signals Squadron, 7 Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery, 16 Medical Regiment and other attached arms. The Battlegroup went through strict measures to mitigate against the spread of Covid-19 before deployment, including 14 days isolation at Beckingham Camp, Lincolnshire, where the soldiers carried out multiple Covid-19 tests.

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Ten weeks after the official launch of Infiniti Support Our Paras Racing, which will contest the Dunlop British Touring Car Championship in 2015, the first two injured Paratroopers have joined the team in full-time employment.

Former Paratroopers, ex-Colour Sergeant Darren Fuller and ex-Corporal John Price, will now be based at the team’s newly refurbished HQ at Mallory Park in Leicestershire. Both will soon be joined by a further four ex-Paratroopers, who will also be employed by the team to work on, and prepare, the two NGTC Infiniti Q50 race cars.

“We’ve said all along that one of our primary priorities is to employ injured ex-Paras in our team to prepare and run the two race cars,” team principal Derek Palmer Snr explained. “We’ve now embarked on the first phase of achieving that. All the ex-Paras who will eventually be employed by the team have been undergoing intensive training by myself and crew chief Les White. As you’d expect, all the guys are quick learners and have impressed right through the training period. Now Darren and John are employed full-time on the team, and they’ll be followed in the next few weeks by the rest of the injured ex-Paras.”

Infiniti Support Our Paras Racing is the not-for-profit team which will help raise awareness of, and funds for, SUPPORT OUR PARAS, the  official charity for The Parachute Regiment.  The latest development by the team was understandably welcomed by both Darren and John.

“After being medically discharged from the Army due to injuries, I was uncertain of what the future held for me,” John explained, “so when the opportunity arose to work full time for Infiniti Support Our Paras Racing came up it was like a dream come true. It’s made the future for me and my family secure doing a job I love.  I was a trained mechanic before I joined the Army and although race cars are a different set-up to your average normal family car, in principal it’s still a car. Being part of the BTCC team is like being part of a massive family again. As Paratroopers, that’s the way we have always felt and that camaraderie brings people together and helps when you feel it’s all going wrong. It gives you the drive to pick yourself back up and crack on and get the job done. I’m looking forward to 2015 and all the challenges the racing will bring us.”

It was a sentiment backed by Darren, who believes the team’s commitment to employ injured ex-Paratroopers sends out a strong message.

“I hope what we are doing will send a great message to all the injured ex-Parachute Regiment soldiers,” Darren said. “Not only can you still achieve great things despite your injuries, but we as a team will be out there week-to-week raising awareness and funds for the SUPPORT OUR PARAS charity, which is there to help and support our wounded, financially and otherwise for years to come. There may come a day when we all need a bit of help and support, and the SUPPORT OUR PARAS charity aims to provide this.

“I’m hoping we will raise the profile of this charity to a level where there’s not one person from the Parachute Regiment who doesn’t know where to turn if they need any support, no matter how big or small their issue is.”

The team will unveil its latest  Infiniti Support Our Paras Racing NGTC Q50, resplendent with a new eye-catching livery, at the Autosport International Show at Birmingham’s NEC.

 

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