Invictus hero is guest of honour at concert

Derek Derenalagi, who came away with two gold medals and one silver at the Invictus games, will join other ex-soldiers and civic dignitaries at ABF The Solder's Charity event at the Royal Concert Hall on Saturday.

INVICTUS Games hero Derek Derenalagi will be the guest of honour at a Concert for Courage in Nottingham.

The injured ex-serviceman, a lance-corporal in the British Army, lost both his legs in an explosion during a tour of duty in Afghanistan in 2007 and was declared dead on the operating table.

But the Fijian recovered to compete in the discus event for Great Britain in the 2012 Paralympics and again at this month's inaugural Invictus Games - an international athletic competition for wounded servicemen and women founded by Prince Harry.

Mr Derenalagi, who came away with two gold medals and one silver at the Invictus games, will join other ex-soldiers and civic dignitaries at ABF The Soldier's Charity event at the Royal Concert Hall on Saturday.

Performing will be the Nottinghamshire band of the Royal Engineers, the Opera Dudes and Carlton Male Voice Choir.

Last year's concert raised £4,300 for the Notts branch of the Army's official charity.

ABF The Soldier's Charity (which used to be called the Army Benevolent Fund) provides grants for education, business start-up, adaptations and care home fees for all Army personnel, serving or retired, and their family for life.

Also in the audience will be Bernie Broad, an Army major who lost both his legs in an explosion in Helmand Province.

Major Broad, the battle group's logistic officer at the time, was unconscious for nearly a month after the blast and underwent four years of extensive surgery plus two years assistance at the Personnel Recovery Unit at Chetwynd Barracks in Chilwell.

The 48-year-old, who lives in Derbyshire, now helps to support ABF The Soldiers' Charity when he's not playing golf.

"What I like about this charity is that anything that comes in, all of it is going out to the cause. It's not just soldiers from Afghanistan but all the way back to World War Two and their families."

Last year the charity awarded 54 grants in Notts, totalling more than £33,700.

These included a £660 award to a 30-year-old former Grenadier Guardsman towards essential household goods.

The man, who has struggled with post traumatic stress disorder since leaving the Army, is trying to rebuild his life and find a job.

Half of the charity's money is given to individuals to help with debt, mobility, education, respite breaks and care home fees and the rest is given as grants to other charities.

Tim Harrison, who has helped to organise the concert, said: "We are highly honoured to welcome Derek Derenalagi to the Concert for Courage.

"He's proved that it's possible, despite severe injuries and disability, to achieve success at the highest level.

"We're sure that he'll go on to even greater success and encourage many other disabled people to achieve, whatever their goals."

Tickets, costing £15, are available from the Royal Centre box office, www.trch or telephone 0115 9895555.