Charity Home offers retreat for injured troops

Andrew Allen's personal nightmare began when a huge explosion tore through his body and left him fighting for his life in southern Afghanistan.

The young Ranger, serving with 1st Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment, had his right leg sawn off in the blast and his face was so badly burned that he was unable to see following the attack in the infamous Musa Qaleh area of Helmand province. Then, as doctors assessed his prospects, his mutilated left leg was found to be in such bad condition that it had to be amputated.

As the 20-year-old lay blind, paralysed, and on his way into surgery, there was a further twist to the story. Ranger Allen was told his fiancee Natalie Keenan was about to give birth to their son. It was the last thing he remembered before the anaesthetic took hold and he slipped into unconsciousness:

"I had found out that Natalie was pregnant just before I left for my first tour of Afghanistan," the Northern Ireland-born soldier recalled. "She went into labour on November 19, just before I was about to have an operation to restore some of my sight."

But having experienced the pain of serious injury and the joy of becoming a father in the space of a few short weeks, the rhythm of normality has slowly been returning to Ranger Allen's life care of a project run by SSAFA Forces Help.

Having adapted a luxurious home a few miles from the Headley Court rehabilitation centre, the charity has created a retreat where personnel undergoing treatment can spend time with their families outside of a hospital environment.

Based in the quiet village of Ashtead in Surrey, SSAFA Norton House - named after George Cross winner Captain Peter Norton (Royal Logistic Corps) - has six bedrooms with 16 beds, a communal kitchen and a TV room fitted with state-of-the art kit. And since last February it has provided nearly 200 military personnel and 60 families with a valuable home-from-home.

For Ranger Allen, who has been facing the battle of learning to walk again on his prosthetic limbs, and with a series of operations underway to fully restore his vision, Norton House has become a haven where he can take the time to relax:

"This place has become a real weekend thing for me now, which is great because I obviously can't just get on an aircraft and go back to Belfast," he admitted.

"The charity is superb and even makes sure there are basics, such as bread, milk and butter, in the kitchen before you arrive."

Joined by fiancee Natalie Keenan, her parents Tom and Mandy, and new son Carter, the house also allows Ranger Allen to settle into his new role as a father, and to enjoy activities such as watching a football match or shopping in town:

"The facilities here are amazing," said Tom Keenan, a former member of the Royal Irish Regiment. "The people are from all walks of life, yet they talk to each other and everybody gets on. The soldiers have seen some unbelievable things."

It is not only the soldiers and their families who enjoy the surroundings of Norton House. For Michael Turner, who manages the property along with deputy Liz Gallacher, the warm atmosphere in the home makes the job worthwhile.

Backed up by a support worker and housekeeper, the team is committed to ensuring that the building provides a welcoming and safe environment for visitors:

"Our job is to play the grey man, to be in the background but to give help and support where needed," said Michael Turner, who served a 25-year career in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers before entering the charity sector. "The families can do what they choose and our role is to make life as comfortable as possible for them."

Despite now being well accepted in the community, the SSAFA scheme attracted controversy when, in summer 2007, scores of Ashtead residents objected to the home. But following a public backlash that made national newspaper headlines, councillors found no reason to refuse the application and rubber-stamped the plans:

"Since we have been here we have found the whole village to be very supportive," Michael Turner added. "In the first week that we opened, people were arriving at the door with bottles of wine and boxes of chocolates, and wishing everyone here all the best.

"Amazingly, I only found out about my job at the house because of the controversy," he continued. "I had been on my way home when I had to pull over at a garage near Ashtead because I was running low on fuel, and there were the headlines in the local paper saying that there had been all of these planning objections."

Having applied for and been given the job, Mr Turner admitted that the role had surpassed all expectations. As SSAFA prepares for the imminent opening of a new home near Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham, he was confident that Norton House had been instrumental in changing lives for the better:

"The charity has a real can-do attitude and is well set up for a project like this," he said. "The fact is that this house makes a huge difference to families and especially to the soldiers because it helps them with their rehabilitation. For all of us who work here, that is very rewarding to see."

Among the personnel to have used the house is Private Gary Wakefield RLC who said:

"I haven't been at Headley Court very long at all but Norton House is great because you can come here and do what you want.

"I was wounded by a bomb in Afghanistan while serving with 13 Air Assault Support Regiment. My left calf was torn and I had broken ankles and broken legs. The rehabilitation is quite testing and I still have to go to have another operation.

"The rooms at the house are great and many of them have en-suite facilities.

"I've been spending a weekend here with my family and my fiancee Victoria Price, who are visiting from Wales."

Another benificary of the retreat is Rifleman Kushal Limbu, 2nd Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles. He said:

"This is my first time here and it is such a nice place to be. The facilities are very good indeed - there are two rooms with widescreen TVs and a massive kitchen.

"I was wounded by an IED [Improvised Explosive Device] in Afghanistan and lost both my legs below the knee. Having arrived at Headley Court in December, I'm now adapting well to my new prosthetic limbs.

"As my wife and family are living in Shorncliffe, Norton House is very useful for us because it means we can be together.

"It is also great to meet and talk to the other Service personnel who are staying here."

This article first appeared in the February 2009 edition of Soldier - Magazine of the British Army.