A FUND to assist an ailing SAS hero pay his care house charges has shot previous £55,000 — because of Solar readers.
Buddies of Sekonaia “Tak” Takavesi, 81, launched the attraction as his navy pension and contributions from household and native authority don’t cowl the associated fee.
We urged readers to donate through unbiased charity Pilgrim Bandits — and after a quick begin, the pot has surged by one other £35,000 in every week.
Tak was considered one of 20 troopers who stormed the Iranian embassy in London in 1980 to finish a six-day siege — rescuing all however considered one of 19 hostages.
He gained a bravery medal in Oman in 1972, served within the Falklands and, aged 58, killed an rebel in hand-to-hand fight in 2003’s Iraq Warfare regardless of having been shot within the head.
Fiji-born Tak has dementia and was moved right into a specialist house in Hereford in April.
He mentioned: “I’m so grateful to Solar readers for digging deep and serving to me.
“Thanks from the underside of my coronary heart.”
Ex-comrade Main Matt Hellyer, who began the fundraiser, mentioned: “It’s clear folks need heroes like Tak to be taken care of correctly.”
Tak’s spouse Mandy mentioned the money will assist cowl a number of years of charges.
She goals to satisfy minister Alistair Carns to debate long-term care provisions for veterans.
The MoD mentioned its Armed Forces Compensation Scheme and Warfare Pension Scheme present monetary help to serving personnel and veterans who’ve accidents or diseases brought on by service.
The way to donate
To donate to Tak’s Simply Giving web page scan the QR code.
WHEN WAS THE IRANIAN EMBASSY SIEGE & WHAT HAPPENED?
The Iranian embassy siege came about from April to Could of 1980.
Panic was sparked when, on April 30, six gunmen took 26 folks, together with employees, a police officer and members of the general public, hostage contained in the embassy constructing.
The group demanded launch of prisoners within the Iranian province of Khuzestan as a part of a marketing campaign for regional independence, in addition to transport out of the UK.
5 hostages had been launched over the following few days after negotiations with police.
However it was determined by ministers that the gunmen’s full record of calls for couldn’t be met.
As a substitute, the SAS would conduct a raid on the constructing to rescue the remaining hostages beneath the identify Operation Nimrod.
Two groups of commandos stormed the constructing on the night of Could 5, abseiling from the roof and utilizing fuel grenades to clear the constructing.
5 of the six gunmen had been killed and all besides one of many remaining 21 hostages had been rescued.
The ultimate gunman, Fowzi Bedavi Nejad, spent 27 years in jail earlier than being granted parole in 2008.
Various the hostages signed a petition asking for his launch, saying he “has been punished” and couldn’t return to Iran as he can be shot “as quickly as he acquired off the airplane”.
It’s believed he now lives someplace in South London beneath a brand new identify.
The siege was the primary time the SAS had been dropped at public consideration, with the service reporting a surge in functions in its wake.
It additionally impressed movies together with 1982’s Who Dares Wins and even a Tom Clancy online game.