I may have missed some important news on this since his sad post so apologies if I'm mentioning this again but has anyone heard anything from him at all?
Just checked and he has not been on since 1st October - a little worrying.
From his last few posts, it looked like there was very sad news to come, at any time. :(
Cheers - Phil
I've dropped Andy an email just to check in, hopefully he's doing OK.
Quote from: Leon on 15 February 2019, 12:56:18 PM
I've dropped Andy an email just to check in, hopefully he's doing OK.
Hope so.
Let's keep our fingers crossed that he's doing ok
Take care
Andy
Fingers crossed
Finger crossed
Just to update, I've had a reply from a friend of Andy's and it's not great news unfortunately:
Hi,
Just giving you an update on Andy, he's not in great shape, he is has difficulty walking and has lost most of his memory and eyesight, medical staff are coming in several times a day, it's now about making him as comfortable as possible. He is still his cheerful self despite his condition and is still fighting it, how he does it I don't know, even though you have to repeat things to him as he cannot remember whats been said.
Andy has said to thank every one for there concern and messages. My name is Harry and I am a friend of Andy's we have been friends for a long time, we served together in the armed services. He speaks very highly of you and the Pendraken team and the forum members. I will try to keep you all updated on things. I'm not a wargamer so I don't know anything about the hobby.
Thank you again for your email.
Harry
Sad to hear.
Very sad news
Blimey. Brings it all home...
Sad news indeed
Sad news indeed.
That's very sad news, Makes most of our worries pale into insignificance
Very sad to hear, especially when a gamer can no longer take part in the hobby.
That's very sad news. :(
Cheers - Phil
Sad news indeed.
Quote from: Leon on 25 February 2019, 10:19:03 PM
Just to update, I've had a reply from a friend of Andy's and it's not great news unfortunately:
Hi,
Just giving you an update on Andy, he's not in great shape, he is has difficulty walking and has lost most of his memory and eyesight, medical staff are coming in several times a day, it's now about making him as comfortable as possible. He is still his cheerful self despite his condition and is still fighting it, how he does it I don't know, even though you have to repeat things to him as he cannot remember whats been said.
Andy has said to thank every one for there concern and messages. My name is Harry and I am a friend of Andy's we have been friends for a long time, we served together in the armed services. He speaks very highly of you and the Pendraken team and the forum members. I will try to keep you all updated on things. I'm not a wargamer so I don't know anything about the hobby.
Thank you again for your email.
Harry
Leon
Thanks for taking the time to do this. Could you ask Harry if SSAFA is involved? They are the best Armed Forces charity in terms of quick reaction and minimum red tape. They may be able to source some resources/practical help/care that can increase Andy's level of comfortable. They don't work miracles - but they come close at times. All they need is a service number.
Thanks again
James
Hi
Very sad and puts other things into perspective.
SSAFA is a great charity, several years ago at work one Christmas I suggested that rather than everybody sending Christmas cards to everyone else we simply put money into an envelope and gave it to a nominated charity. Everybody was happy to do this (it was MOD) and we put suggested charities into a box. I nominated SSAFA and to my surprise it got picked out (don't ask!). All the proceeds were sent to SSAFA and afterwards I got a very nice thankyou letter from them saying what a good idea it was and wishing other people did this.
Cheers Paul
Quote from: Sunray on 26 February 2019, 04:42:50 PM
Thanks for taking the time to do this. Could you ask Harry if SSAFA is involved? They are the best Armed Forces charity in terms of quick reaction and minimum red tape. They may be able to source some resources/practical help/care that can increase Andy's level of comfortable. They don't work miracles - but they come close at times. All they need is a service number.
I've passed that on to find out, but I'm not sure how much can be done at this point. SSAFA are a great bunch, they come along to Battleground each year with their stand and they helped out my grandmother with some minor building work when her roof had sprung a leak a couple of years back.
I see and speak to the SSAFA guys at several shows over the year. I give them a few quid and now and again a bit more. They are a great bunch of guys, veterans themselves and are a great source of stories about themselves and some of their clients.
I have been gifted a couple of their T-shirts and try to wear them at shows.
The SSAFA success rate in helping Vets is based on their live linked up data base that connects ALL possible trusts, funds, and charities related to the ex-service community.
You enter the Vet's service number and immediately you have a live link to perhaps 6/7 such trusts. The need is established by the SSAFA case worker - often sitting beside the Vet/family with a laptop at the nearest Wi-Fi source. The trusts then collaborate in live time to meet the need. Often its small individual charity discretion payments lumped together. On their own peanuts - lumped you have a couple of grand. And all with a couple of clicks from those operators who are linked in.
Its the "instant coffee" assistance that can make the difference.
A prime example is being able to offer a menu choice of decent scrans when the Vet has lost appetite through long term illness. The Case Worker sourced a supplier of tasty ready cooked meals, and the SSAFA network found the cash and the voluntary agency to deliver daily.
It was so rewarding to see him eat and savour decent food.
Quote from: Sunray on 27 February 2019, 08:48:23 AM
The SSAFA success rate in helping Vets is based on their live linked up data base that connects ALL possible trusts, funds, and charities related to the ex-service community.
You enter the Vet's service number and immediately you have a live link to perhaps 6/7 such trusts. The need is established by the SSAFA case worker - often sitting beside the Vet/family with a laptop at the nearest Wi-Fi source. The trusts then collaborate in live time to meet the need. Often its small individual charity discretion payments lumped together. On their own peanuts - lumped you have a couple of grand. And all with a couple of clicks from those operators who are linked in.
Its the "instant coffee" assistance that can make the difference.
A prime example is being able to offer a menu choice of decent scrans when the Vet has lost appetite through long term illness. The Case Worker sourced a supplier of tasty ready cooked meals, and the SSAFA network found the cash and the voluntary agency to deliver daily.
It was so rewarding to see him eat and savour decent food.
SSAFA sorted all my poor brothers problems out, first class help.
Sad news
Take care
Andy
I've just been given a bundle of stuff which I think has come from Old Smokies collection.
There are a bundle of RUB compartmented trays which I will absorb into my own stuff. I plan to bung a good few quid into a SSAFA tin next time I see them.
There are four army pack of Pendraken figures, all un-bagged and unpainted.
Norse, Norman, Anglo-Saxon and Goblins. They retail at £31/£33 each.
I would be happy to pass any of them on for a reasonable charitable donation.
Failing that I'll eventually paint them up and sell them in due course.
Any offers?
Jim
Quote from: jimduncanuk on 06 March 2019, 12:07:27 PM
There are four army pack of Pendraken figures, all un-bagged and unpainted.
Norse, Norman, Anglo-Saxon and Goblins. They retail at £31/£33 each.
It seems there are Hill Dwarves too.
I've had another update from Harry tonight:
Can you thank the forum members for their suggestions and kind words, there are several charities involved with Andy's care, both military and civilian, sadly there is not much can be done now.
He is very pleased with all the efforts to find new homes for his collection and the raising of funds for service charities.
Just to keep everyone in the loop, I've had another update from Andy's friend:
Andy is still with us, he has been at a hospital in London receiving a new type of treatment, which seems to have stabilzed things for the moment. Hopefully it will continue to be so. His eyesight is returning slowley after the discovery that it was some of the medication causing the sight loss, a bit of good news for a change. I shall endevour to keep you updated.
Fingers crossed
Seconded
Thanks for the update and fingers crossed.
Fingers crossed here, as well.
Cheers - Phil
That's good news, indeed. Horrendous to read that some of the medication was causing his sight loss. I can only hope that it was otherwise doing some good and that the new stuff continues to stabilise his condition.
Glad he is still with us, and seem to be improving if only by a little