'The Invictus Games can transform lives'

British veterans and current personnel who were injured during service are preparing to fly out to Canada to take part in the Invictus Games.

The seventh edition of the games, which begins in Vancouver on 8 February, will bring together more than 500 competitors from 23 nations.

Louise Assioun, the Team UK manager, said the competitors had dealt with issues like trauma, amputations and PTSD, as well as coping with being in combat zones.

"The Games are an important part of their recovery - the pride they feel in taking part can literally transform lives," she said.

The competition was founded in 2014 by the Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, after visiting the Warrior Games in Colorado a year earlier and seeing its impact on injured US military personnel.

However, this year's Invictus Games will feature winter sports for the first time.

On Friday, Team UK hit the ski slopes at the Snowdome in Tamworth, Staffordshire, for their last training session.

Among those representing the UK is Stacey Mitchell, an RAF veteran whose left leg had to be amputated after a training injury.

"I didn't realise how much of my identity was taken away when I became injured until I got involved in a team again," she said.

Mark Abel, an army veteran from Worcester who became visually impaired after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2011, is competing in his second Games.

But this will be his first time taking part since he suffered a personal tragedy.

"In January 2017, Sam, my son, took his own life," he explained. "I was devastated, we were all devastated. I was lost."

Mr Abel said his ski guide encouraged him to get back on the slopes to see if it would help.

"It was from that moment in time that I got the love of sport again," he said.

Sgt Joanne Lynch, from Newport in Shropshire, was with the RAF in the Scottish Highlands when she was caught in an avalanche, which killed three people.

Since then, she has suffered from PTSD and a fear of snow, but said sport had helped her recover.

"I'm definitely going to be challenged being back in a snowy environment," she said, "but I'm more focussed on this last chapter of my military career being positive, and to keep growing."

Sqn Ldr Sam May, from Birmingham, is an emergency medicine doctor in the RAF who has suffered chronic pain since dislocating her knee in 2023.

She said her injury had been difficult mentally as well as physically.

"I went from being an athlete, a doctor, an officer to very quickly just being at home on my own, needing a lot of help," she explained.

"So coming back into this environment with a team of people who understand and are really supportive has been massively helpful."

The 2025 Invictus Games will run from 8 to 16 February.

The 2027 Games are due to be held in Birmingham.

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