A soldier from 38 Signal Regiment, the Territorial Army unit based at Manor Top in Sheffield, has organised a large donation to the Tribute Fund of Corporal Sean Reeve, a soldier who died in Afghanistan four years ago.
Major Stuart McHenery, the Officer Commanding 64 Signal Squadron, part of 38 Signal Regiment based in Sheffield, has through the generosity of his employer raised £10,000 for The Corporal Sean Reeve Tribute Fund, marking a significant boost for the Fund’s beneficiary, Blind Veterans UK.
In the late 1990s, Stuart was the Staff Sergeant of 884 Signal Troop based in Brighton, to which Sean Reeve transferred in from an Engineer unit, and they served together for several years. Sean died in 2008 from an IED in what was a notorious incident at the time, as it saw the first British female soldier killed in Afghanistan, and also triggered a review by the MoD of ‘Snatch’ Land Rovers being used in combat zones.
Major McHenery, said of the Tribute Fund: “In the spirit of the people of Sheffield, who have always been very generous and open hearted to soldiers, both in the TA and Regular, and thanks to the £10,000 donated by my employer, we can bolster Sean’s Blind Veterans UK tribute fund to establish a memorial which not only serves a very worthwhile purpose, but which also I know Sean would be extremely proud of”.
The Corporal Sean Reeve Tribute Fund was set up when his family were given money raised by his former teacher, Chris Jones, and some of the pupils of Cardinal Newman School to donate to a charity of their choice, Blind Veterans UK, in memory of Sean.
Terry Heaton, Manager of Blind Veterans UK Sheffield centre added: “Blind Veterans UK is enormously grateful for this very generous gift made by Sheffield based solider Major Stuart McHenery and his colleagues at Innserve, in memory of Corporal Sean Reeve. All money donated to the fund will go towards helping the charity to provide a lifetime’s practical and emotional support to blind veterans, regardless of when they served or how they lost their sight”.
To donate to the Sean Reeve Tribute Fund, please visit: www.blindveterans.org.uk/seanreeve