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Help us make a real difference in the lives of amputees. Please fill in the form below if you'd like to volunteer with us.

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Every penny counts! If you'd like to fundraise for us, please fill in the contact form and we will be in touch to discuss.

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Our Approach

A Support System Built on Understanding

First-hand experience is the backbone of our support system. Our founders and team have a deep understanding of the amputee journey, and have meticulously structured our services to meet the needs of individuals facing amputation and those adjusting to life thereafter.

  • Proactive
  • Network
  • Professional

Connecting with new amputees as soon as possible after their surgery, and where feasible, even before amputation occurs, is crucial. This proactive approach ensures that individuals receive the support and information they need right from the start.

Our growing network includes a wide range of support organisations. By sharing our successful system, originally developed by Amputation, Inspiration, and Motivation CIC (AIM), we're not only extending our reach but also enhancing the quality of support available across these groups.

We’ve established strong connections with hospital professionals - from orthopaedic, vascular, and rehabilitation consultants to physiotherapists and occupational therapists. Our streamlined process enables medical professionals to access peer support for their patients, allowing them to focus on their critical healthcare roles.

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Years Combined Experience

Our Charity Was Created By Amputees With A Passion For Helping And Supporting Others.

  • Supportive Community
  • Practical Workshops
  • Comprehensive Guidance
  • Empowering Education
  • Regular Contact
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How We Help

Our Streamlined Process for Guiding Your Journey

Ready to move forward? Our streamlined process ensures every amputee gets the dedicated support they need. Here’s what to expect after getting in touch with our team:

1. Initial Contact

When hospital staff identify a new amputee or someone awaiting amputation, they reach out to us.

2. Information Gathering

We collect essential details like age, sex, type/level of amputation, reason for amputation, and contact information.

3. Matching Support

We find the most suitable support by matching amputees with volunteers who share similar experiences and characteristics.

4. Facilitating Visits

Our trained, vetted amputees (who are prosthetic users unless otherwise requested), visit the new amputee to offer advice and support.

5. Ongoing Support

We provide the amputee with contacts for user/support groups and maintain regular check-ins to ensure they receive the appropriate support and information.

Sound Good?

Our streamlined process has been praised by staff for its ease of use and positive rehabilitation results.

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Nice to Meet You!

Our Team

Changing lives takes a dedicated team! Meet the passionate volunteers, tireless staff, and generous trustees who power our impactful charity.

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Stephen Cruse

Founder

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Stephen Cruse

Founder/Trustee

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Deborah Boardman

Trustee

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Alec Hughes

Trustee/Treasurer

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Damian Kenny

Interim Chairperson/Trustee

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Chris Whiteley

Trustee

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Stephen Cruse

Founder/Trustee

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Deborah Boardman

Operations Director

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Tony Parkins

Operations support

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Cathy Harrell

 Leicester Support Hub Lead - Volunteer

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Kirsty Bloor

 Online Support Hub Lead - Volunteer

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Philip Pangarry

Counsellor - Volunteer

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Paul Colliss

Leicester Support Hub Coordinator - Volunteer

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Chris Bell

North East Regional Lead - Volunteer

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Kelley Schruyers

Merseyside Support Hub Coordinator - Volunteer

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Amy Patterson

Middlesborough Support Hub Lead - Volunteer

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Gill Josephs

 Volunteer Coordinator - Volunteer

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Kirsty Bloor

Ambassador

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Rebecca Thomson

Ambassador

Help us to Help Others

We strive to create a world where every amputee has the support, resources, and community needed to thrive, but we can’t do it alone.

Please consider donating to support our vital work. Every penny counts!

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Meet the Team

Stephen Cruse

In February 2008, during a journey through New South Wales, Australia, I encountered a life-altering event: a significant road traffic collision that resulted in me becoming a bilateral transtibia amputee.

Throughout the challenging process of rehabilitation, I had the fortune of meeting another individual who, despite facing similar circumstances, exuded an extraordinary sense of optimism and resilience. Their inspiring outlook ignited a flame within me.

Upon my return to the UK, I was disheartened by the impersonal and uninspired support systems available for individuals experiencing limb loss. This realisation ignited my passion to foster a community driven by empowerment, support, and motivation for those navigating similar journeys.

Meet the Team

Deborah Boardman

Deborah became an Amputation Foundation trustee in 2023 and joined us with 26 years of commercial business experience gained in the HR, People & Talent sector. With a strong background in recruitment, strategic talent acquisition & workforce planning & management, Deborah supports AF with employment related matters. Having spent her more recent years as an Operations Director, Deborah also brings a wealth of experience in Governance, Risk, Compliance, Supply Chain, PMO, Legal & Audit and is able to assist AF operations with a broad spectrum of needs as and when required.

Deborah has been a supporter of Amputation Foundation since its inception having been acquainted with one of its founders through a family connection. She is passionate about the work we do in supporting amputees and is committed to supporting our back-office operations enabling our front line workers to focus on the real value work that AF undertakes in helping people when they most need.

On a personal level, Deborah is an avid Everton FC season ticket holder and enjoys a healthy level of friendly banter with our Liverpool FC supporting founder. Having worked and lived in London, Cardiff, Malaga, Lyon, and Sydney she loves her travel, languages and generally meeting people from wherever they may hail. An aspiring foodie (the eating not the cooking) and a lover of a tipple or two with good company, Deborah is a people person who outside of work holds family and friends as life priorities.

Meet the Team

Alec Hughes

Hi, my name is Alec, or Al as most people call me, and I have been a Trustee of Amputation Foundation since its inception. My role has been to quite simply offer whatever support and guidance I can to Steve and his fantastic team of staff and volunteers, gained through my knowledge of running businesses and working with charities.

Outside of the charity, I am married with two children, am a season ticket holder at Everton FC and love to ride my motorbike whenever I can.

Meet the Team

Damian Kenny

AWAITING UPDATE

Meet the Team

Chris Whiteley

With over 15 years of dedicated experience in the charitable sector, I’m a seasoned professional with a passion for continual learning. Currently, I proudly serve as the Chair of AF, where my primary focus is on laying down a resilient foundation poised for growth and development. Collaborating closely with visionary Founder Steve and our dedicated team, I’m committed to realizing his inspiring vision.

One of my proudest achievements has been establishing the Ambassador role for eight remarkable and devoted amputees, an initiative showing promising early signs. My core responsibilities revolve around five guiding principles: ensuring AF’s safety, fostering absolute clarity, cultivating consistency, driving quality, and maintaining discipline.

Before my tenure in the charitable sector, I spent 16 years as a Physical Education officer in HM Prison service. Additionally, I enjoyed a distinguished rugby career spanning 16 seasons, playing semi-professionally for esteemed clubs such as Salford, London, Doncaster, Carlisle, and Barrow prior to the Superleague era. I hung up my boots at 52, following a memorable yet humbling experience facing my ex-colleagues’ sons during a match in Barrow.

Off the field, I confess to being a “petrol head,” indulging in my passion for classic cars, albeit at the expense of my wallet. While I maintain a laid-back demeanor in most situations, my occasional forays onto a soapbox and my tendency toward “White Knight” syndrome underscore my convictions. An avid lover of the outdoors, I find solace and connection with remarkable individuals in nature’s embrace.

Meet the Team

Tony Parkins

My name is Tony, and I am passionate about helping and supporting fellow amputees in any way that I can. 
As a right leg amputee above the knee due to blood clots in 2009, I became a service user of Amputation Foundation and more importantly a member of the AF family. 
I later volunteered to join the team as the Hospital Liaison Officer where I built relationships with various hospitals and prosthetic centers which enabled us to offer support and advice to amputees on their wards and in their clinics.
I now work for Amputation Foundation in Operations Support and whilst I love my role supporting the Charity in the “back office”, I still thoroughly enjoy putting my Volunteer hat back on and getting out to visit people as and when I can or I’m needed.
Enjoying family life with my partner Jane and our wonderful kids all of whom get involved in AF events, fundraising and general support.
Meet the Team

Cathy Harrell

Hi to all you fellow amputees. What a journey we’ve all had!!

I was born with a rare genetic condition. I am an above knee amputee and started wearing a prosthetic leg when I was 2 yrs old. I’ve seen many changes in attitudes to disability and developments in prosthetics since then!

My daughter fortunately does not carry the faulty gene and has legs up to her armpits! It’s so good to be a part of AF, an organisation that is here to support us, after such a life changing event, and gives a positive view of life after amputation.

As a group we have different interests and backgrounds and we all push the boundaries in various ways.
Some of us have done a ‘Sky Dive’ to raise funds. I have been lucky enough to complete a paragliding course and have been skiing in the Alps. Please do get in touch if you feel we can help in any way.

Meet the Team

Kirsty Bloor

Hi! I’m Kirsty. Since I was a child, I’ve navigated life as an amputee due to a birth defect that left me without a fibula, with only two tiny toes, and hindered growth in my right leg. Thanks to a remarkable procedure known as Syme ankle disarticulation, I’ve overcome challenges and discovered new strengths along the way.

Amputation Foundation has played a crucial role in my journey, nurturing my confidence and fostering the development of my counseling skills. Even after all these years, I continue to be amazed by the insights and resilience of our new members, who never fail to inspire me with their innovative approaches to life.

Moreover, Amputation Foundation has gifted me with lifelong friendships, for which I am deeply grateful. Volunteering with AF has become a passion of mine, allowing me to be the support system I wished I had during my early days as an amputee, devoid of guidance and advice.

In essence, my involvement with Amputation Foundation not only enriches my life but also allows me to pay it forward, making a positive difference in the lives of others facing similar challenges.

Meet the Team

Philip Pangarry

My name is Phil Panagarry. In 2019 I lost my left leg below the knee and then in 2022 I lost my right leg below the knee. In 2019 I had to think of a new career as I could no longer continue working in a professional kitchen. I enrolled on a degree course to become a professional counsellor. Whilst doing my training I have volunteered to help a variety of people trying to come to terms with pre or post amputation. I am proud to have joined Amputation Foundation as a volunteer and am committed to supporting members in any way I can.

I live in Longridge near Preston and am a proud Dad of 3 children.
Meet the Team

Paul Colliss

My name is Paul Colliss. In 2017, I found myself caught in a serious Road Traffic Crash that left my right leg with severe injuries. Over the course of two challenging years, I underwent six surgeries in a valiant attempt to salvage it. However, by June 2019, the decision was made for an elective above-knee amputation. Following a dedicated regimen of physiotherapy, I was fitted with my first prosthetic limb.

It was during this time of transition that I stumbled upon a poster from the Amputation Foundation (AF) at a Leicestershire Mobility Centre. The poster advertised a local monthly Friday morning gathering, where individuals like myself could come together for coffee, tea, and camaraderie. Intrigued, I decided to attend my first meeting in September 2021, and what I found there was truly inspiring.

Since that initial encounter, I’ve become a regular attendee at our drop-in sessions. Together, we share stories, offer support, and yes, share plenty of laughter. It’s not just a forum for exchanging experiences; it’s a source of invaluable advice on a myriad of topics, from navigating daily challenges to accessing essential services for individuals with disabilities.

Our group has evolved beyond our monthly gatherings; we’ve become a tight-knit community that extends beyond our regular meetings. Whether we’re engaging in social activities or simply catching up, the bonds we’ve formed have become a cornerstone of support and companionship in my journey toward adaptation and resilience.

Meet the Team

Chris Bell

Hi and welcome to Amputation Foundation. My name is Chris Bell and I’m an elective right leg below knee amputee.

My amputation was in May 2023 as a result of claudication of the right leg (really bad blood flow).

The journey since amputation has not been an easy one, but I challenge myself daily and now find myself doing things I wouldn’t have done on two legs.

I wanted to support others impacted by amputation which is why I got involved with Amputation Foundation volunteering as the North East Regional Lead.

I live in the North East of England with my wife and son. I’m a proud Middlesbrough season ticket holder, keen bowler, golfer and I work full-time.

Meet the Team

Kelley Schruyers

Hello, I’m Kelley Schruyers, a proud mother of two wonderful children. My life has been a tapestry of diverse careers, ranging from massage therapy to supporting students in a college setting. However, my journey has been marked by profound challenges.

At the age of 10, I faced a life-altering event when a house fire tragically claimed the lives of most of my family, including both parents, my twin, and older sister. Left with only a sister and a brother, I navigated a tumultuous upbringing with scarce support.

Despite the odds stacked against me, I’ve emerged triumphant in adulthood, defying the expectations of doctors who doubted my capabilities. Every day presents its own set of hurdles, but I’ve learned to confront them with unwavering resilience—a trait shared by many.

Becoming an amputee at such a young age was a monumental challenge, but it also ignited a flame of determination within me. Now, as I reflect on my journey, I’m filled with immense pride for all that I’ve accomplished. And amidst the trials and triumphs, I’ve found solace and belonging in the embrace of Amputation Foundation.

As a proud ambassador for this remarkable charity, I’ve discovered a newfound sense of purpose—a community where I can share my experiences, offer support, and advocate for those facing similar struggles. Together, we stand as a testament to the power of resilience and the importance of finding a family to call our own.

Meet the Team

Amy Patterson

Hi, I am Amy.
 
I was born with a condition called Hemihypertrophy diagnosed at 6 weeks old, meaning my right side is a lot bigger than my left. I had my left leg lengthened at 13 and the bone got infected turning into chronic osteomyelitis.
This would continue to reoccur through my life resulting in 30 plus operations and subsequently amputation after it started to get into the bloodstream.
 
I am incredibly lucky I have 3 beautiful sons and a wonderful husband. 
 
I love being a part of AF and getting to meet and help other amputees.
Meet the Team

Gill Josephs

Until my retirement, 3 years ago, I worked in education, teaching English and in the later part of my career I was a SENDCO, working with 11-18 year olds who had a range of educational needs. Since retiring, I have continued to work part time in an advisory capacity within a Trust, supporting staff on how to meet the needs of pupils within their setting. My background means that I have had contact with numerous agencies and I hope this will help me when promoting Amputation Foundation along with seeing how specific needs of individuals can impact on the lives of all around.
My decision to support and volunteer for the charity has come from meeting and working with an amputee in a school setting. The positivity that this person shows fills me with admiration and as a result I feel compelled to help support the worthwhile work that is being undertaken. 
In my spare time, I am a Trustee for a Post 16 college for students with complex learning needs. I am in total awe of the positivity that such students display. When I have a moment to myself, I love to read and I  am a member of a couple of online book clubs. I have an ever growing “to be read” pile of books taking over my bedside table. I love to walk with friends and family and try hard to visit the gym 3-4 times/week. Not a natural runner,  but I have mastered the 5k and 10k challenge.
Meet the Team

Rebecca Slater

Hello, I’m Becca Slater. I’m 28 years old. At the age of 21 I was involved in a major RTA that resulted in a RAE amputation, a broken back and many reconstructive surgeries on my ankle. 

I found the Amputation Foundation through a chance meeting with Andy Reid (one of AF’s founders). AF put me in contact with other amputees and I didn’t feel quite as alone. 
 
Since my accident I’ve done things I never thought I’d do – I’ve competed in able-bodied rowing race crews, competed in CrossFit, returned back to working in a hospital, found the sport of strongman and have won the title of World’s Strongest Disabled Woman twice and set 5 world records.
 
I’ve now set up a gym with my partner designed to help disabled people get stronger and gain their independence back.