AN EX-MILITARY chef will be pounding the streets of Bicester to raise money for Walking with the Wounded.

Former corporal Paul Brogdale, of Leach Road, is taking on a five-mile course today to raise money for the charity’s Home Straight programme, which helps homeless veterans get back into work.

The 48-year-old said: “Although I don’t have any injuries myself from service, there are plenty of people I know who got hurt, so I’m doing it for them.

“I was in Cyprus in 2003 and we saw plenty of people get injured.

“There’s great comradeship in the military and you do what you can to support each other.

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“This year at the remembrance service I walked with the veterans and I’ll be signing up to the Royal British Legion too.”

The walk is part of the Daily Mirror’s Christmas Appeal, Walking with the Wounded, which encourages people across the country to go on a walk and raise money for armed servicemen and women.

The money raised will go towards helping homeless veterans, many of whom suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health issues, find employment and get back on their feet.

Mr Brogdale, now a chef manager for an Egham company, served in the Royal Logistic Corps (RLC) Reserve 167 Catering Support Regiment in Grantham, Lincolnshire and also served in the RLC Reserve 151 London Regiment Transport Squadron for more than 15 years.

He originally joined the military with the Royal Gloucester Hussars in 1988 when he was working at the King’s Head hotel in Cirencester.

He said: “It all came about because I worked in hotels and we normally got the Monday off and, because I had nothing to do, Monday night was the barracks’ drill night.

“I went along. I joined up and then I came out again in 1990 and then went back again in 1998.”

Mr Brogdale won gold, silver and bronze awards in the Combined Services Culinary competition, an annual competition for the best chefs across all armed forces, during 1999 to 2007.

The father-of-two will begin his walk at about 10am starting at the motorway services in Northampton Road, Ardley.

He said: “What I’m planning to do is start off at the motorway services and then go through Bicester, and down through the high street and then I’ll go all the way back to my house in Leach Road.

“I know people will be back to work on Tuesday, but it would be great if we could get an atmosphere going in the morning.”

Visit walkingwiththewounded.org.uk