WOUNDED servicemen and women are about to embark on a flight around the UK in microlights in preparation for a world-record attempt.

Flight for Freedom (FFF) is a group which is co-founded by Malmesbury man, John Laity that gives those injured in the forces a new lease of life by training them to fly microlights.

On Saturday June 6, five microlights carrying ten of the FFF team, will take off from the Cotswold Airport in specially modified microlights on a 14 day trip, which will take them around the UK and back to Kemble.

The Round UK Challenge is a training exercise to help prepare them for a daring world-record attempt in 2016 - to be the first pilots to fly across the Antarctic in a microlight.

John explained that training the wounded to take part in the challenges helps them adjust to their injuries, which can often leave them feeling unmotivated and mentally drained.

He said: “We give status. Somebody comes to us impaired and they leave as pilots.It is about giving status to somebody who has life changing injuries and changing their life.

“The things we deal with isn’t the injuries you see it is the injuries you cannot see.

“We inspire people to get out of bed just by what we do.”

He added that he thought the toughest part of the UK challenge would be flying through mountainous and desolate terrain in Scotland.

Throughout their journey around the UK the team will see stop off at various locations to explain to people what they do.

The FFF project is recognised by the Ministry of Defence as post rehabilitation facility for wounded servicemen.

It is based at Kemble Flying Club at Cotswold Airport, where its pilots are trained at and the microlights are stored.

It is also one of only three projects in the UK that is in partnership with the Help for Heroes (HFH), an organisation that supports injured servicemen and women.

FFF first came to fruition in 2009 after John’s marketing firm Onecall Entertainment sponsored a round-the-world sailing trip by the British Army which was led by James Harris, the other FFF founder.

John explained that he got the idea after deciding to race the team of soldiers in his microlight .

The microlights have been provided by the pilots themselves or donated by FFF sponsors which include Lord Digby Jones, the former Minister of State for Trade and Investment, who donated an aircraft worth £28,000.

Many of the sponsors of the team come from the local area, including Cotswold Airport and Snowsled in Tetbury.

“There is real opportunities for businesses to come and support what we do,” John said.

Several pilots taking part in the he Round UK Challenge are amputees including , Luke Sinnott, a former captain in the Royal Engineers.

His legs had to be amputated after a explosive device he was trying to disarm in Afghanistan, discharged.

John said that Luke is a real hero.

He said: “He got blown up and he was still shouting orders to his team, asking them if they were okay and one of them said “it is actually you that is hurt.”

Text wings to 7900 to donate £3 to the team - the cash will go to Help for Heroes.