Llangollen company pledges support to veterans' charity

* Jason Rickwood and Hugh Luckock.

An outdoor adventure and activities company in Llangollen has pledged its support to veterans’ charity, Launchpad.

Bearded Men Adventures provides accommodation, catering, adventure and activities such as white water rafting, coasteering, river tubing, mountaineering and paddleboarding.

The company has agreed to donate 1% of their annual income from activities to the charity.

The business, which was set up in 2018 by two friends who just so happen to have bushy beards, Jason Rickwood and Hugh Luckock, caters for families, groups and individuals as well as schools, corporate businesses, stag and hen groups.

Passionate about giving back to good causes, both Jason and Hugh selected Launchpad as their chosen charity and said they admire the work that Launchpad provides to veterans.

Launchpad provides vital accommodation and support for up to 100 veterans across three houses in the North of England and helps residents to transition from military to civilian life. Bearded Men Adventures invited staff and residents from Launchpad’s Speke House in Liverpool to experience a day of outdoor adventure activities, which included white water rafting.

Jason, 36, a veteran himself, served 12 months with the Royal Engineers and most of his family have a connection with the Army including his two brothers and father. In addition to Bearded Men Adventures, he is also a Level 4 snowboarding instructor and teaches the Royal Navy snow board team during the winter months.

Hugh, 34, said: “We’ve been going for four years now and despite Covid-19 having an impact on our business, we’re really starting to see the business taking off. Supporting veterans is a great thing to do and when we found out about what Launchpad does to support those veterans who may be struggling with the transition, we wanted to support them and be part of a charity that is doing positive things.”

Jan Buckley, acting activities co-ordinator at Launchpad’s Speke House who also attended the white water rafting day last week with seven residents, said: “We are very grateful to Jason and Hugh to committing to supporting Launchpad. We had a great day out and all residents really enjoyed it. It has given everyone a boost and was good to see residents bonding together.

“Being outdoors and keeping active provides a positive and stimulating experience for our residents and is a good way for them to manage their mental health and wellbeing. Everyone who attended has been talking about it and commenting on how much fun they had.”

Bearded Men Adventures and Launchpad are exploring the possibility of a camping trip in September for residents. This will be a two-day adventure activity programme led by Bearded Men Adventures and will include wild camping and bushcraft skills.

Launchpad’s Speke House includes 50 self-contained flats and communal areas such as a lounge, kitchen/dining area, IT suite and garden. Staff work with multiple partners to support each resident on their journey to living independently.

* For more information on Bearded Men Adventures and their activities, please visit their website as: www.beardedmenadventures.com/outdoor-activities-north-wales/