An Iraq War soldier has enjoyed a memorable adventure holiday at an outdoor activity centre, with support from the staff at the care home where he lives. 

Stephen Vause was just 19 when he suffered major brain injuries while serving with 4th Battalion The Rifles, in Basra in 2007. He was on his first tour of duty, and the attack left him severely disabled. 

The 36-year-old lives at Royal Star & Garter in Surbiton, and was accompanied by two Healthcare Assistants (HCAs) Sam and Phil, from the Home. Vause spent four days at outdoor activity centre Calvert Lakes in the Lake District.  

Stephen said afterwards: "I'm very lucky that Help for Heroes paid for this, and that Sam and Phil were able to come with me. Thanks to both charities, I've had the best time ever!" 

The costs for the trip to Calvert Lakes were covered by Help for Heroes, which has previously worked with Royal Star & Garter and funded a bespoke wheelchair and specialist gym equipment to support Stephen's care. 

Jennie Rumble, Operations Manager for Veterans Clinical Services at Help for Heroes, said: "Stephen fights every day to manage his physical injuries, but every challenge is attempted with determination and humour – he had a great time." 

Calvert Lakes provides adventure breaks and holidays for people with disabilities. The HCAs drove up to Calvert Lakes with Stephen on 4 September. During his trip, Stephen went hiking and swimming, enjoyed bike rides, sailed a catamaran, and tried canoeing too. 

Stephen has been a resident at the care home since 2017. The charity provides loving, compassionate care to veterans and their partners living with disability or dementia. 

The Home Manager, Helena Maher, said: "Stephen lives with highly complex healthcare needs. He shows huge resilience and courage every day so this was a well-deserved break for him and I'm delighted he enjoyed lots of amazing activities."

During a Covid lockdown in 2021, Stephen raised money for Help for Heroes by taking part in a virtual London-Brighton 60-mile bike ride from his Royal Star & Garter room. Supported by staff at the Home, the gruelling challenge took him six weeks to complete on his adapted static bike, and he raised £5,000 for the charity. His fundraising exploits saw him win the Inspiration category in the Soldiering On Awards. 

Royal Star & Garter in Surbiton is welcoming new residents. For more information on this, or to work for the charity, go to www.starandgarter.org/surbiton