A FORMER Nantwich soldier is taking to the roads to raise money for a good cause.

Jaimie Taylor, aged 42 and originally from Nantwich, is a retired paratrooper turned research vascular scientist at Great Ormond Street Hospital, who was wounded during his years of service in the Parachute Regiment. Jaimie, who is registered as 20 per cent disabled, has committed his life to helping others both in his working life and leisure time.

Jaimie, together with Simon Speirs, whom he met at RAF Headley Court in Surrey, a rehabilitation centre for wounded servicemen, will be launching a cycle ride from John O’ Groats to Land’s End, on May 28, World Hunger Day 2012, in support of the work carried out across the world over by The Hunger Project. During his years of military service, Jaimie witnessed the plight of communities living in Ethiopia and wants to help these communities ‘define a legacy as a means to help themselves’. He said: “My support of The Hunger Project is based on the organisation’s objective of educating some of the world’s poorest communities, so that in the future they have the skills to support themselves and those around them and not have to rely on emergency aid.

“During my military years, I watched on, helpless, as thousands of people tried to cross the Ethiopian border into northern Kenya to find water and food. These were individuals who didn’t necessarily comprehend the notion of ‘borders’ or ‘limitations’. Had processes been in place to help these people create their own water and food sources, a mass exodus might not have taken place.

“What is crucial for people to understand is that we have a collective responsibility to share our learnings with these communities to help them help themselves, as proven with the mammoth efforts undertaken by The Hunger Project.

“For me, it’s a cycle ride from the heart. For those who benefit from The Hunger Project it could be the difference between life and death for them and their families.

“My legs might be throbbing by the end of my UK end-to-end cycle ride, over 1,000 miles, but each and every one of those miles will be making a huge impact on other people’s lives. And that makes my day, every day,” he added.

Jaimie is married with a baby and lives in Archway, north London.

To sponsor Jaimie, go to justgiving.com/Simon-Speirs and for more information about The Hunger Project, go to thehungerproject.co.uk