- Employees from Jaguar Land Rover's Castle Bromwich plant are to play a key role in international sporting event for 'wounded warriors', championed by Prince Harry
- Castle Bromwich employees will form part of the 150 strong Jaguar Land Rover team to help present this September's Invictus Games held between 10‑14 September in London's Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
- Local British Armed Forces Team competitor Clive Smith met the volunteers and joined the Big 'I AM' tour to mark Jaguar Land Rover employees' contribution to the Games
Castle Bromwich, UK, 29 August 2014 ‑ Seventeen Jaguar Land Rover employees from the company's Castle Bromwich production facility were today announced as volunteers for this September's Invictus Games.
Local Invictus Games British Armed Forces Team competitor Clive Smith from Birmingham joined the Castle Bromwich volunteers to celebrate their contribution to the Games. Clive's visit also coincided with the Big 'I AM' tour which sees a giant structure of the Games' iconic 'I AM' logo visit the Jaguar Land Rover sites across the UK. Jaguar Land Rover employees from across the company will have the opportunity to sign and leave good luck messages for the British Armed Forces Team.
The Castle Bromwich volunteers, whose regular jobs range from the production line to office desk, have been freed from their regular duties by Jaguar Land Rover to train alongside the Armed Forces to ensure the Games run smoothly. They will form part of a 150 strong Jaguar Land Rover team who will help run the international sports event for 'wounded warriors' championed by Prince Harry.
As presenting partner of the Games, Jaguar Land Rover is supplying a quarter of the 600 strong team that will help run the Games, with others coming from the Armed Forces and other sponsors.
Sapper Clive Smith, who was injured in an IED incident while serving in Afghanistan in 2010 resulting in the loss of both of his legs, will be a competitor in the Cycling at the Invictus Games thanks to support from Help for Heroes and the Ministry of Defence, said: "I'm delighted to be here today to meet the Castle Bromwich Jaguar Land Rover volunteers. They will play a huge part in making the Games happen in September and it's great to know that there will be support from my local area when we are competing. There's a real sense of excitement building and we can't wait to get started."
Benjamin McCombie, Jaguar Land Rover volunteer commented: "It's a great honour to be given the chance to show my support, appreciation and respect for the wounded Service men and women participating in the Invictus Games. Having previously served for over seven years in the armed forces, including a tour of duty in Afghanistan, and having friends who have been injured and even lost their life fighting for our country it's an initiative I feel very passionate about. I can't wait to play my part in helping to make the first ever Invictus Games a reality."
Simon Lenton, Human Resources Director of Jaguar Land Rover said, "All of us at the Company have been inspired by the vision for the Invictus Games. We were overwhelmed with the volume of applicants wishing to volunteer and had to set criteria for selection, including a statement of why they wanted to volunteer. Their reasons for applying ranged from personal and family involvement in the Armed Forces to their own experience of sport's power to help recovery from illness or injury. This will be a life‑enhancing experience for the volunteers."
At the Invictus Games, the volunteers will be assisting competitors from the 14 participating nations, their families and friends, and thousands of spectators. Their training programme will include coaching from former Games Makers from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, selected by London 2012 legacy charity Join In.
The Invictus Games are being organised with the support and backing of The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, and the Ministry of Defence. They will use the power of sport to inspire recovery, support rehabilitation and generate a wider understanding and respect of those who serve their country. The event will feature nine adaptive sports at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and Lee Valley Athletics Centre.
Tickets for the Invictus Games cost £12.85 per person, per session and are on sale at www.invictusgames.org.