My mother, Joyce Barbara Shapland, or ‘Joy’ for short was playing tennis well into her 60’s. In my thirties I thought – along with her much younger tennis partners – that she was far too old for such vigorous activity and that she should be in a wheelchair. As my 67th birthday looms into focus I now take a different view.
But she was younger than my father, and much more agile and energetic. So, it is only fitting that the second, newer, Land Rover carries her name.
Now fully restored and with the finishing touches of a Queensland-built Sherpa winch and fuel and water baskets fitted, Land Rover Joy is just that – a joy to drive.
True, it isn’t lugging a 30 kg generator and 100 kg of deep cycle batteries. But its lighter weight and crisp gearbox makes the absence of power steering and turbo seem almost unnoticeable. She breezes up hills that Peter dawdles on. She rattles less, seems a quieter motor, and as the designated recovery vehicle is destined to follow Peter around.
As did my mother through endless Army postings.
With the just-fitted winch, shiny new paint and all new jerrycans, I introduced her casually to a visiting friend as ‘very much the show pony of the pair’.
Two hours later my views had changed. But you’ll have to wait for more on that…
One thing my view hasn’t changed on is the importance of the charities we support. Consider David’s story; a Royal Armoured Corps Junior Leader at age 16, Royal Military Police, police officer, paramedic. Iraq, a bomb in Northern Ireland and emergency services trauma. One day in 2018 David found himself standing at the top of a quarry.
“I was looking down and making the decision whether to step forward, or back,” he says. “I decided to step back.”
Combat Stress arranged a psychologist. He went on to have weekly 1:1 sessions and has now completed treatment.
“I got to the end and was able to sleep, I was able to smile and there was a light. My marriage is good, we’re happy.”
That’s one reason why we’re raising this money.