Published: Saturday, 28th June, 2008 09:00
Army medic makes it to the races at last
By Lucy Crossley
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Reunited: Emma Forster, Alicia Lander, Nicola Rush, Ronnie Wilkie, Laura Grant and Hazel Marshall,
AN ARMY captain made an emotional return to Royal Ascot a year after she missed out on last year’s equestrian extravaganza because she was serving in Iraq.
The race meeting is usually a regular feature in Captain Nicola Rush’s diary as it gives her the chance to enjoy a day out and catch up with old friends. But last year she couldn’t make it because the army medic was on a three month tour of duty in the war-torn country.
Nicola, 25, said: “I come with my friends from university and we try and use it as an annual reunion.
“Last year I was away in Iraq so this trip to Ascot is long overdue.”
Horse fanatic and avid rider Nicola, from Wokingham, was the inspiration behind the News’s exclusive Value for Valour campaign which encourages leisure and sporting attractions, businesses and organisations to show their support for the Armed Forces by offering discounts or special offers. She helped launch the campaign at the racecourse in January along with Ascot’s Operations Director Ronnie Wilkie, himself a former soldier.
Although Nicola enjoyed her day at the races she spared a thought for her colleagues who are currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, where nine soldiers have been killed in the last fortnight, including the first
servicewoman to die in the country. She said: “It’s been very emotional for me. I won’t say that when I watch the news on TV I don’t get goosebumps and I can get very teary.
“2 Para are doing a fantastic job. They are being hit hard at the moment and my heart goes out to the families involved. It’s been a tragic two weeks.”
As a medic Nicola plays an important role, both when she is away on duty and back home at her base, but sometimes she wishes she could do more.
She said: “Last year I was out there and I could play my part, back here you can feel helpless.
“But it is great to come home and come to something like this where you can just relax, that’s why the Value for Valour scheme is so important.”
Nicola visited the racecourse with her friends from Bristol University who all said they admired and respected her.
Hazel Marshall said: “I think she’s very brave and we’re all very proud of her.”
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