- Jaguar Land Rover employee James McGill receives a hero's send off as he heads to the 2016 Invictus Games.
- McGill is given words of encouragement from Luke Darlington, a 2014 Invictus competitor and participant of Jaguar Land Rover's Wounded Injured and Sick programme.
- Midlands born James will compete in swimming and track and field at the games which kick off next week.
Jaguar Land Rover provided a hero's send‑off today for colleague James McGill who will be competing as part of the UK team at the 2016 Invictus Games in Orlando, Florida. The Games, which are backed by Prince Harry, are the world's largest international adaptive sporting event and will see James line up against 500 military athletes from 15 nations.
Midlands born James, a former Grenadier Guard, will represent his country in swimming and track and field following a gruelling selection process which saw him compete against 200 wounded, injured and sick (WIS) service personnel for his place. McGill, who was seriously injured by an explosion while on foot patrol in Afghanistan, joined Jaguar Land Rover in July 2015 following participation in its bespoke WIS training programme.
James said: "I am very proud to be selected and represent the UK, and equally proud as a Jaguar Land Rover employee. The support Jaguar Land Rover gives to the UK Team and Invictus Games makes this all possible. Rehabilitation is a very personal thing but to be in employment and have a focus and support from a company like Jaguar Land Rover is one of the reasons I am able to represent my country next week."
Today's send‑off from Jaguar Land Rover's Solihull manufacturing plant saw dozens of the company's 200 strong ex‑services personnel turn out to cheer him on his way, with colleague and 2014 Invictus star Luke Darlington on hand to provide tips to James on making the most of his time in the competition.
"We're all behind James and I envy him over the next two weeks," said Luke, a Production Leader at the Solihull plant. "The 2014 Invictus Games played a key role in my journey back to work after leaving the service through injury. Indeed it was through the Games that I was introduced to Jaguar Land Rover where I now work. There's a strong ex‑services community here, and importantly our skills are recognised by all and there's a true sense of camaraderie right across the business."
Jaguar Land Rover is continuing its support of Invictus Games in its role as presenting partner and proud sponsor of the UK Team for 2016 following the successful inaugural games in London 2014. Since 2013, Jaguar Land Rover has hired over 200 former servicemen and servicewomen in the UK, working closely with the Career Transition Partnership, the Ministry of Defence's official provider of Armed Forces resettlement.
To learn more about the Invictus Games Orlando 2016, visit: http://www.invictusgames2016.org
