Opening of the Battle Back Centre

The Battle Back Centre, for which Leeds Metropolitan University provides coaching for inclusive sport and adventure activities to enhance the recovery of wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women, was opened today (Thursday 22 November).

The Royal British Legion, who fund and operate the Lilleshall-based centre, officially launched it with the Ministry of Defence (MoD). The opening ceremony was performed by Beth Tweddle, MBE, the Olympic medallist and Britains greatest ever gymnast, and the Right Honourable Mark Francois, Minister of State for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans.

Coaching and evaluation are provided at the Battle Back Centre by Leeds Mets Carnegie School of Sport and Carnegie Great Outdoors, a leading provider of Adventurous Activities and people development courses, who were commissioned based on their established expertise in the delivery of education and training courses using the outdoors and sport. In addition the Universitys Institute of Leadership and Management Centre has accredited the programme to give Battle Backers an ILM Level Two award, recognising team member skills to support their future career prospects.

Dave Bunting of Carnegie Great Outdoors and Head of Coaching and Development for the Battle Back Centre, said: Our University has been involved with the Battle Back Centre from day one. We have undertaken more than ten pilot courses, each one better and more refined than the last, based on our evaluation and on feedback from those taking part. We have now made the transition from pilot to full capacity courses and the inclusive

sporting equipment we use is second to none, ensuring that everyone who attends the week-long programmes can take part in each and every activity. Whats more, the students are some of the most determined and inspirational men and women you could ever hope to have the privilege of meeting. Based on feedback from the Battle Backers and the evaluation it is clear that taking part in people development courses, using sport and adventurous training activities as vehicles for change, enhances recovery. We use a wide range of activities within our courses, including wheelchair basketball, archery, indoor climbing and caving, and water sports.

The Royal British Legion operates the Battle Back Centre in partnership with the MoD and Sport England. The Centre is hosted at Sport England's National Sports Centre at Lilleshall, where many Olympians including Beth Tweddle herself - and Paralympians train, providing an inspiring environment for recovery.

Since pilot courses began last year, it has benefited over 200 wounded, injured and sick Service personnel and around 600 people a year can attend its multi-activity people development courses. Leeds Metropolitan Universitys Vice Chancellor, Susan Price commented: It is a privilege and an honour for Leeds Metropolitan University to be part of the Battle Back Centre. It is a life-changing facility for the men and women who undertake the courses devised and led by the Carnegie Facultys dedicated team and I am delighted that the Royal British Legion recognised Leeds Metropolitans special expertise in this sporting and evaluative area.

The Royal British Legion is providing 27 million to fund The Battle Back Centre as a key part of its 50 million commitment to the Defence Recovery Capability (DRC). The DRC is an MOD initiative in partnership with the Legion and Help for Heroes and supported by other Service charities and organisations to ensure that wounded, injured and sick Service personnel have access to the key services and resources needed to help them either

return to duty or make a smooth transition into an appropriately skilled civilian life.

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For further details please contact Julia Williams in the Communications team at Leeds Met on 0113 8125978 or email j.t.williams@leedsmet.ac.uk

Notes for editors: Leeds Metropolitan University has more than 27,000 students and around 3,000 staff. The Vice Chancellor of Leeds Metropolitan University is Professor Susan Price and the Chair of the Board is Lord Woolmer of Leeds. Leeds Metropolitans four faculties are: Arts, Environment and Technology, Business & Law, Health and Social Sciences, and Carnegie. Leeds Metropolitans heritage can be traced back to the founding of the Mechanics Institute in Leeds in 1824. The Destination of Leavers in Higher Education (DLHE) showed that the proportion of Leeds Metropolitan 2010/11 graduates in work, further study or both six months after leaving university was 91.87%. Libraries and Learning Innovation at Leeds Metropolitan was awarded the CSE standard for the tenth year running in 2012. In 2012, Leeds Metropolitan was awarded a First in the People & Planet Green League, a league table of environmentally friendly universities, for the sixth consecutive year.