Barney's bid to raise £3000 for soldiers' charity

Philip ‘Barney’ Gillespie was a Corporal with the Royal Irish Regiment on his third tour of Afghanistan, when an IED exploded and took his right leg below the knee.

Since then, first class treatment, ceaseless comradeship and support from the Soldiers’ Charity have given him new horizons and ambitions which culminated in Barney conquering 19,000ft Mount Kilimanjaro in July of this year.

Barney’s concern for fellow soldiers and their families during difficult times is well known and although his feats have raised the sum of £1745 so far, the Soldiers’ Charity is appealing for all his supporters to spread the word and collect more.

The charity’s local spokesman, David Forsey explained: “He wants to make a difference and the money he is raising can help to do just that. So, copy and paste the address (https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/barneykeepsongoing) on social media sites or encourage friends, family and local businesses to garner support.

“Ask your local shops and garages to site a “Barney Bucket” for the public to drop their spare coins in.

“You’ll be surprised just how influential you are! The money raised will help to ensure a better existence for our soldiers, veterans and families when times are tough.”