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Sixty injured British Army soldiers and their families had the chance to take the wheel of some of the world’s most acclaimed special forces vehicles at an event hosted by Supacat in South West England.
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The event was organised by Motorsport Endeavour and Help for Heroes, and was set up for soldiers coping with physical injuries and mental health issues.
Supacat provided a range of its vehicles, including the 4x4 Jackal and 6x6 Coyote, high-mobility automobiles that are part of the core fleet of the British Army.
“Our aim is to put a big smile on their faces. It gets many of them out of hospitals doing something they never thought they’d be able to do again, and taking back control, which boosts their confidence,” said Nigel Platt, a former Royal Marine and Supacat driver who organised the initiative.
Motorsport Endeavour has put together over 250 events with over 5,000 servicemen and women to provide “high-octane, adrenaline-rushing motorsport events”, as they play their part in supporting the psychological recovery of service personnel and veterans.
“It’s just a great opportunity to get back in the vehicles you used to work on during operations like in Oman and Afghanistan,” veteran Neil Edwards said.
“It’s just a good all-round muddy adventure. To come to an event like this you do feel appreciated again. Makes you feel worthwhile again.”
Supacat has hosted a number of Drive Days for Motorsport Endeavour “as part of its commitment to supporting the armed forces community.” The company received the Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Silver Award last year.
