A former soldier who overcame a life-changing brain injury, and now helps other ex-Service personnel with serious injuries, has been recognised at a national awards ceremony in London.

Rob Cromey-Hawke, from Cowling in North Yorkshire, was named last Friday evening (22 April 2016) as the winner of the ‘Working Together (Individual)’ category in the prestigious 2016 Soldiering On Awards – national recognition for the whole Armed Forces Community run by the Soldiering On Through Life Trust.

The Working Together category is sponsored by the Forces in Mind Trust, which was established to help ex-Service personnel and their families make a successful transition back to civilian life, and recognises an individual, team or organisation that has demonstrated a commitment to collaboration with the Armed Forces Community.

Rob was injured in 2012 during a second tour of Afghanistan after the vehicle he was travelling in drove over an Improvised Explosive Device. He sustained serious brain and spinal injuries that left him with memory and concentration difficulties, and chronic pain.

Despite his injuries, Rob has overcome the challenges he has faced to excel in sport, competing in the 2015 Warrior Games. He also helped establish the Headway Forces Support Group – the first group of its kind to offer dedicated support to service personnel and veterans with a brain injury.

Rob was presented with his award by Major General Martin Rutledge at an awards ceremony held in London’s Park Plaza Westminster Bridge Hotel.

Rob says:  “I am honoured to be recognised in the ‘Working Together’ category. I could not have achieved all I have since my injuries and through the establishment of Headway Forces Support Group without the amazing support from my family, HeadwayUK, Help for Heroes and my current employer Deloitte. I hope we can help and support many more veterans and their families affected by brain injury”.

Ray Lock, Chief Executive of Forces in Mind Trust, said: “We are delighted to recognise those who, like Rob, have altruistically worked together to help people make the journey from military to civilian life. Most Service personnel and their families make the transition successfully, but a few need a bit more support. Working collaboratively – whether as an individual, team or organisation – is key to making sure that those vulnerable to failed transition receive the help they need.”

ENDS

For more information please contact Alex Goldup at The PR Office on agoldup@theproffice.com / mobile:  07791 765 915/ direct dial: 020 7284 6941.

  About the Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT):

  • FiMT came about from a partnership between the Big Lottery Fund (‘the Fund’), Cobseo (The Confederation of Service Charities) and other charities and organisations. FiMT continues the Fund’s long-standing legacy of support for veterans across the UK with an endowment of £35 million awarded in 2012.  Since 2004 the Fund has given more than £88 million to programmes supporting veterans. http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/.
  • Our Vision is that all ex-Service personnel and their families lead successful and fulfilled civilian lives. Our Mission is to enable them to make a successful and sustainable transition. Our Strategy is to use our spend-out endowment to fund targeted, conceptually sound, evidence generation and influence activities that will cause policy makers and service deliverers to support our Mission.
  • FiMT awards grants (both reactive and proactive) and commissions research along three key themes: Evidence, Innovation and Collaboration.  All work is published to a high standard of reportage to add to the evidence base from which better informed decisions can be made.
  • Useful links