Paralysed former soldier from Chard, George Pas, to take on fundraising flight

George Pas, 40, of Chard, will join other veterans from around the United Kingdom as part of the Flying for Freedom Challenge.

The challenge will see a team of wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women fly more than 2,000 miles in Flexwing Microlights around the country in a bid to raise £25,000 for the charity’s recovery centres.

The Help for Heroes recovery centres help rehabilitate injured servicemen and women, and also provide support and advice for those who have served in the armed forces.

Mr Pas, who served in the Rifles, was left paralysed from the chest down after a horrific road traffic collision in the summer of the 2015, and was the inspiration behind the challenge.

It is the latest fundraising mission for Mr Pas, who recently completed an endurance marathon at 1610 leisure centre in Chard, and he said he wanted to do the challenge to help others who had been injured like himself.

He said: “I have probably not been the quickest to progress, the distance to the hanger mixed with the unpredictable weather has not helped, but I fly when the opportunity arises and F4F continue to teach me.

“The last thing I thought I would ever be given the opportunity it to do was fly, and yet flying is exactly what I am doing.

“It is a tremendous feeling.

“Once the hard work of getting in to the flight suit, then from my wheelchair in to the microlight is done and we are taxiing, my disability is invisible and I am the same as everyone else.”

The challenge has already started and will continue until July 18.

As well as raising the money, the team of flyers will also provide air experience flights to more than 100 of their wounded comrades in order to inspire them during their own recovery.

The £25,000 raised will be donated to Help for Heroes to fund future pilot training and, ultimately, the team hope to fly the Microlights to the South Pole.

For more information on the challenge or to donate, visit fly ingforfreedom.org