News

Our Co-Founder – Andy Reid MBE, Afghanistan veteran and triple amputee to take on the challenge of the 2026 TCS London Marathon !  

Back in 2022 he defied all the odds to become the first ever triple amputee to reach the summit of the mighty Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. This was an amazing challenge and incredible test of endurance and strength.

Andy  is now set to take on  a second epic challenge in the 2026 TCS London Marathon to raise funds for fellow veterans, soldiers, their families, and his local community.  He hopes to become the first ever triple amputee to complete the course.

Andy lost both his legs and an arm after stepping on an improvised explosive device whilst on patrol in Helmand Province in 2009. Now, the father of two is gearing up for the marathon on Sunday 26th April, to show what disabled and injured veterans can achieve.  

Andy will be participating in this year’s London Marathon to raise money for his own Standing Tall Foundation which provides mental health counselling, addiction, housing & welfare support to communities in his hometown and across the country, and the Army Benevolent Fund, which is the Army’s national charity. With the help of his supporter, Ged Mason, Executive Chairman of Morson Group, Andy is aiming to reach the finish line in 10/11 hours and hopes to raise thousands of pounds for the two causes closest to his heart.  

During his lengthy treatment and recovery in the UK after his injury, the former Corporal in 3rd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment was determined to defy the odds and to redefine himself as a survivor, not a victim. From the start, Andy received the support of the ABF – which helped to fund adaptions to make his home more accessible and pay for training to support his post-Army career.   

A published author and accomplished motivational speaker, in 2020, with his friend, John Tabern,  Andy established the Standing Tall Foundation, which promotes mental and physical wellbeing, supporting hundreds of people in the community each month, including ex-service personnel.  

Andy has gone on to raise thousands of pounds for the ABF and the Standing Tall Foundation, through a series of tough physical challenges – including climbing Mt Kilimanjaro, abseiling down Blackpool tower, and completing a 600-mile tricycle ride. Now Andy is embarking on a demanding training programme to ensure he is fit and ready to walk the 26.2-mile route along the capital’s streets .  

Andy Reid said: “I’m turning 50 this year, and I wanted a challenge! I hope that as many people as possible can support me in raising funds and awareness for both charities – the Standing Tall Foundation and the Army Benevolent Fund.  

“The TCS London Marathon is something that I would have taken part in if  I’d not been injured. By showing what can be achieved by someone like me, a triple amputee, with the right mindset and support network around you, I  want to help others to see what they can overcome.”   

Ged Mason said: “What I admire about Andy is that he really  pushes his limits and nothing holds him back. Just by doing what he’s doing, Andy helps motivate others who might be struggling. I am delighted to be supporting Andy to take part in the 2026  TCS  London Marathon; and looking forward to training with him, too.”  

Peter Monteith, Chief Operating Officer at the Army Benevolent Fund, added: “We are so grateful that our ambassador, Andy Reid MBE, is taking part in the TCS London Marathon in aid of the Army Benevolent Fund and the Standing Tall Foundation. Andy has experienced life-changing injuries but does not let them define him. He is dedicated to serving others – raising thousands for the ABF, establishing his own charity, and inspiring many people with his story of resilience and recovery. We wish Andy the best of luck in his training and look forward to supporting him along the way.”  

Andy is an inspiration to us all, and a poignant reminder that with pure determination, resilience and mental strength, we can overcome adversity to achieve anything we set our minds to. This is such a testament to the Foundation, and amazing example of an ex-veteran who has suffered life changing injuries, but not let them defy him. 

To support Andy Reid’s Marathon fundraiser, please visit his page HERE.

We kick start the New Year with some fantastic news that SeaKing Group have joined the STF as a new partner. We had the pleasure of meeting with Gary Pink and his team at The SeaKing Group in Birkenhead back in December.

Like us, they are extremely proud to support Veterans and are also advocates of wellbeing in the workplace.

Founded in 2001, SeaKing has been evaluating and solving marine and industrial engineering problems for organisations worldwide. As an organisation grown from four employees 25 years ago to employing more than 120 engineers worldwide, now with a history delivering projects across Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Caribbean, and the USA.

The SeaKing Group offers specialist electrical engineering services to the marine, industrial, commercial, military, and offshore sectors. Recognised for their expertise in marine electrical work, the SeaKing Group undertakes all types of electrical projects from breakdowns to major refits on a range of vessels, globally.

They offer as their specialities the following:

Marine electrical system design, marine electrical system installs, marine electrical repair, control panel and software solutions, commercial electrical engineering, industrial electrical engineering, and super yachts.

Not only this, but they have also recently opened up an Industrial/Commercial division with them carrying retro-fit installations as well as new build installations in and around the local area and adjoining counties.

The SeaKing Group is based on the Wirral in Birkenhead, with satellite offices currently on the South Coast of England and in Glasgow. As part of the wider Envoy Group, they can now offer full turnkey packages for all your electrical requirements.

SeaKing had this to say about the partnership:

“From the first moment we met with both Andy and Charlie we, at SeaKing, were overwhelmed with what they and their foundation do, they are very inspirational people. We are immensely proud to now be called a Partner to the ‘Standing Tall Foundation’ and we are very much looking forward to building closer ties and seeing the positive impact that we believe we can make together in the support for the Serving & Veterans Community and their families.”

We warmly welcome them to the STF family and look forward to working together moving forward!

We are delighted to have partnered with PSD Group who have very kindly supported and provided us with an incredible Ford Ranger to use for Foundation purposes.

This will help us enormously with events, and transporting Veterans and other community groups to activities.

PSD is a vehicle solutions provider, supporting individuals and businesses of all sizes with vehicle rental, vehicle leasing, and used vehicle sales. They supply a wide range of cars, vans, and specialist commercial vehicles, backed by flexible packages that suit short term needs through to long term fleet requirements. Their services include maintenance, breakdown cover, fleet management and practical support throughout, with a team focused on keeping customers on the GO.

Our Co-Founder John Tabern (pictured above) also manages the heritage project Cannington Shaw, giving The No. 7 Bottle Shop in St Helens a new lease of life.  He has been leading the revamp of this fascinating listed building into a rich community hub. Their logo also features on the new vehicle.

Clint Harrison, Chairman of PSD had this to say:

I have long admired the incredible work the Standing Tall Foundation do within the local community and it is a privilege to be able to offer our support to such an important charity. Unless you speak to Andy Reid and John Tabern, you don’t understand how much time and effort is put in to running a charity organisation who offers such a wide variety of support, the dedication and the commitment from the STF team is unquestionable.

Massive thanks to Clint and his team at PSD, we are truly grateful.

Here at the Standing Tall Foundation, we are extremely proud to support not just the wider community, but also veterans with their Mental Health, Addiction, Welfare and Housing needs.

As an organisation, we have always positively promoted and supported Veterans, especially due to Andy’s background and the amount of work he personally does for the veteran community.

We know that veterans are more likely to access the support they need if it is in one place, aligned, within a safe space they recognise, and fundamentally in a friendly and non-clinical environment. Our programme offers a unique offer of holistic support in one place; a one stop shop helping veterans to mental and physical health services, alcohol and substance misuse, wellness coaching, financial budgeting and planning, employment and education support which would otherwise mean engaging with multiple different agencies.

For the last 12 months, we have run a weekly Ex-Services group here at the Foundation from 9am-11am where members from the Armed Forces and Blue Light Services meet for breakfast, brews and banter. Every month, veterans from the group go out on an organised trip and regularly meet up with other veterans from Southport and surrounding areas.

In the last 5 years we have supported over 600 Veterans with their Mental health, Wellbeing and Employment opportunities. 

More recently in October, we were excited to announce we had partnered with Healthier Heroes CIC to open a brand new HMO housing project in St Helens with 4 otherwise homeless veterans, now living there.

The project was only made possible thanks to the collaboration of local businesses such as St Helens Flooring, Lindab and our partner B-Engineering’s dedication to get the house fully converted into an HMO. The initiative transformed the house into a secure and dignified home for those who have served. Each contribution, from energy-efficient heating systems to new en-suite bathrooms, enhances the quality of life for these deserving individuals. Thanks to all the companies that donated their time and resources to get this project over the line.

This development will create much-needed housing for Veterans, ensuring that we can continue our mission of not leaving any Veteran homeless or unsupported on our streets.

Healthier Heroes will provide safe and secure accommodation alongside wraparound support services. The STF will play a vital role in supporting this initiative by delivering Mental health and well-being services, Addiction support and diversionary activities.

Working together will strengthen the support network available to Veterans within the project, complementing the housing solution provided by Healthier Heroes. Together, our goal is clear: to provide sustainable housing and holistic support so that every Veteran has the chance to rebuild, recover, and thrive.

Our Co-Founder Andy Reid said:

“We reached out to our foundation partners for support with the project and the response was amazing. From free materials and labour, expert advice and hard graft the HMO is now finished and we are delighted with the results. We now hand the keys over to Healthier Heroes and let them do what they do best …support our veterans within full wrap around support. Thank you to our partners for making this possible.”

If you are a Veteran and need support – please reach out to us or come to our group on Friday. Everyone is welcome!

We are delighted to have partnered with Chorley Group and Chorley Nissan Wigan who have very kindly supported and provided us with an amazing car to use for Foundation purposes.

This will help us enormously with visiting vulnerable clients, allowing us to support them with their mental health, addiction and welfare needs. We can also use to  transport our veterans on days out and travelling to STF events.

Thanks to Andy Turner MBE and his team, we are truly grateful.

 

We cannot thank everyone enough for their involvement in our Xmas Toy Appeal this year. Friday saw us hold our Wrap and Pack event in the marquee here at the STF Hub at the Living Well Building.  Everyone came in their Xmas jumpers to either wrap presents or deliver sacks of gifts to the schools across our Borough.

The day saw more than 60 volunteers from a wide range of companies including PepsiCo, TRS Training, A+ B Engineering, Cosey Homes, VTA Recruitment, Allisons Financial. Integral Legal, B-Engineering, Carma, St Helens Council and Natwest.  We also had help from friends of the Foundation, family members and our Veterans who helped wrap, pack and deliver over 3000 presents to 1020 children and their families.

These were distributed amongst 40 local schools identified as having pupils with the greatest need as well as homeless families, refuges, those in temporary accommodation and Young Carers, ensuring the most vulnerable children have something to open on Christmas day.

We were overwhelmed with the generosity of people in the town as they donated gifts to Dunelm, Natwest, REDS Cafe, Smyths Toys and Cosey Homes. We also had donations from PepsiCo, TVS Supply Chain, Glassbond, Nine Arches, Helen & Eddie Hoffman, Morson and other kind individuals that brought toys and gifts in.

Thanks to each and every one of you that donated, wrapped, packed, delivered and supported along the way. With your help, these children will now receive a gift this Xmas and you have made a real difference.

Without you, none of this would have been possible!

Here are some of the pictures from the day:

We are ecstatic and extremely proud to announce that the Standing Tall Foundation now has an official Mascot!

Meet our new furry friend “Bastion the Bulldog” who will be representing the Foundation at all our events moving forward.

Back in the summer we launched a mascot competition across all the primary schools in the Borough asking the children to design a mascot based on our Co-Founder Andy’s background and our Foundation values:

• BE KIND
• HELP OTHERS
• HAVE COURAGE
• BE MINDFUL
• BE HONEST

We were amazed by the response and the fantastic designs we received back from the children. So much so, it was virtually impossible for us to choose only one winner! The Mascot was kindly sponsored by our Foundation partner A+B Engineering who came and helped us judge all the entries. In the end, we combined the designs across three schools – Haydock English Martyrs, Rainford C of E and Eccleston Mere Primary.

The dog was named “Bastion” after Andy’s stay in Camp Bastion after he was severely injured whilst on patrol as a soldier in Afghanistan.

And here he is!

If you would like a visit from him at your workplace, please let us know!

They spent 2 days on an intensive training course via LivingWorks about Suicide prevention that trains caregivers to provide suicide first aid, reduce immediate risk and increase support for those at risk.

They were joined by participants different organisations from all over St Helens, including St Helens Wellbeing, YMCA, Fuel and St Helens Ambulance Service to name but a few.

We are overjoyed to announce we will holding our Xmas Toy Appeal again this year.

This month we are ecstatic to announce that local company Glassbond have joined us and will be supporting the Standing Tall Foundation moving forward. We had the pleasure of meeting them all at their offices this week and getting a guided tour of the site and what they do there.

Who are Glassbond? – They’ve been around since 1978 and in 1982 moved to Jackson Street.  They manufacture and supply organic lamp capping cements to the lighting industry, thermosetting moulding compounds for compression moulding applications and high-temperature ceramic adhesives to the automotive, aerospace, aviation, lighting, HEPA filter and other high-temperature applications, for bonding, potting or embedding components and substrates.

Their most notorious claim to fame though is supplying the compound that makes the fantastic Bowling balls we see at Bartons Pickles Celebrity Bowls tournament each year in St Helens!

Michael Cordell, MD had this to say about the news:

It is a privilege for Glassbond (NW) Ltd to partner with the Standing Tall Foundation. The support they provide to veterans and the wider community is invaluable. Having been based in St Helens for over 40 years, with 75% of our workforce living locally, we are immensely proud to contribute to such meaningful work.

We look forward to inviting them to our upcoming partners meetings and other networking events where they can hopefully form some strong business relationships with our other partner organisations.

Their monthly donations will be crucial to the Foundation, allowing us to provide 6 additional support sessions per week for those suffering with Mental Health and Addiction issues.

We are delighted to be working Glassbond moving forward and warmly welcome them onboard!

If you are interested in becoming a partner of the Foundation, please get in touch with our Executive Officer Charlie Eke for more details:

charlie@standingtallfoundation.org.uk