Page 7 - Essex Mason Issue 85

Provincial

Thank You For Your Service

nvictus Games Competitor and British Army veteran Ashley Hall
Ifought back after a terrorist bomb took off both his legs and part of
his left hand while on duty in Afghanistan, but even he was unprepared
by the callous thieves who stole his specially adapted bike – and his
route back to mobility and a more normal life.
Now thanks to Essex Freemasons, Ashley, aged 28, is back in the
saddle four months after thieves broke into the shed at his Colchester
home, taking the bike and most importantly the special components
that enabled him to ride it.
After his story was featured in the Colchester Gazette Rodney Bass,
Provincial Grand Master for Essex Freemasons, immediately offered to
replace the bike, a task that took four months and the skill of experts
left to right; W.Bro Paul Harris, R.W.Bro. Rodney Bass (PGM), Ashley Hall from across Europe to fulfil.
and V.W.Bro. Paul Reeves (DepPGM)

“Raising the £8,000 to replace the bike and purchase the modifications was the easy bit,” said Mr Bass, who officially presented
Ashley with his new machine on Thursday October 18th at the St Giles Masonic Centre in Colchester. “We had to approach a
specialist company in Austria, the only one that could build the bespoke specification needed and even they had to order and
adapt a wide range of additional components to complete the job. It was a long wait but worth it to be able to get Ashley back in
the saddle.”
“I was particularly appalled by the fact that thieves who have probably contributed little to the community, had deprived a brave
Army veteran, seriously disabled serving his country, and my members agreed. I am delighted we could help.” For Ashley, who was
serving in the Royal Engineers in 2007 as part of a bomb disposal team at the time of his injury, it is a dream come true.
“I wanted to do all the things that I had enjoyed before the incident,” he said. “One of these was riding a bike again on just two
wheels, a thing that most people take for granted. The thieves stopped that on the day they broke into my shed.” Not that Ashley is
man who is easily deterred. In 2017 he competed in the wheelchair rugby event in Prince Harry’s Invictus Games and today practices
martial arts – he is a blue belt in Brazilian Jujitsu and enjoys shooting following his Army career.
At the time of the robbery he was in Anglesey in North Wales competing for Team Brit, a racing car event – and enjoys as many
sports as he can.
Now he has his new bike
he will also be back on Band on the Run
the road and has installed
several new deterrents for
Disco
would be thieves.
The £8,000 to purchase the Ladies Nights
bike and its modifications
was donated by members
of Essex Masters Lodge.

The images courtesy of Brian Mackett feature Ashley Hall, the
PGM Rt W Bro Rodney Bass, OBE; Dep PGM VW Bro Paul Band on the Run
Reeves and W.Bro Paul Harris, secretary of Essex Masters
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