A WOUNDED ex-serviceman, who is supported by Help for Heroes’ Sports Recovery programme, has won the Adaptive Athlete of the Year award at the annual Army Sports Awards.

Former-Private, Charlie Walker, of Dalton, was presented with the award at a special prize-giving held at The Guildhall, in London.

The award was presented in recognition of his achievement competing at international level in Sitting Volleyball. As the winner of the award, Charlie now goes forward to the Combined Services Sports Awards held in March next year.

Charlie suffered from Meningitis in 2006 and as a result is now a double below-knee amputee. During London 2012 Charlie made his Paralympic debut, with support from Help for Heroes, and was part of the men’s sitting volleyball team which finished eighth. In 2013 he took part in the Warrior Games, and just this year won three gold medals at the inaugural Invictus Games, where he not only played in the sitting volleyball, wheelchair rugby and wheelchair basketball, but he also coached the teams to victory.

Help for Heroes has been involved with sports recovery for six years, and in the past year alone have put on 300 events across 50 different sports enabling over 1,800 wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans to take part in adaptive sports from grassroots through to performance level.