Donations to fundraiser of soldier who was attacked near barracks more than quadruples
The money raised via the military charity fundraising page of a soldier who was repeatedly stabbed in an attack in Gillingham, Kent, has more than quadrupled.
Lieutenant Colonel Mark Teeton, who is in hospital in a serious but stable condition, took on the D-Day 44 Challenge in June, raising £2,500 for Combat Stress, £750 more than his original goal.
However, since Lt Col Teeton's name and fundraising efforts were announced on Thursday, people have chosen to donate to his fundraising page – the amount is currently £10,186 + £1,571.54 GiftAid – to pay their respects to him and his family.
On 5 June 2024, the day before Lt Col Teeton started his fundraising challenge, he wrote: "I am starting my journey to Normandy and only have 0.5% of the nerves that our amazing heroes had 80 years ago.
"Mine is a 12-hour challenge, theirs was a step into the unknown with only their mates for support.
"It is support that this is ultimately about, we all need it in our lives."
Dozens of people have chosen to do exactly that, leaving comments of support under their donations such as "Get well soon, from a fellow military family" and "Thoughts are with you and your family during your recovery".
By donating to Lt Col Teeton's fundraiser since the attack on Tuesday, they have helped raise more money for Combat Stress, a charity close to the soldier's heart.
Before he started the D-Day 44 Challenge he expressed how important the work of Combat Stress is, saying: "The money raised will provide support to military veterans who, when starting the next chapter in their lives, may have struggled with what words to write.
"This run is about helping them start writing and moving forward, they have inspiring stories to tell."
The D-Day 44 Challenge was a 44-mile run to mark a century since the Allied invasion of occupied France and raise money for Combat Stress.
The soldier, who had never run a marathon before, ran 44 miles across the Normandy beaches with his challenge ending at Pegasus Bridge on the anniversary of D-Day.
In a social media post, Combat Stress responded to the news of the attack on Lt Col Teeton, saying: "We are shocked and deeply saddened at the news that our fundraiser Lt Col Mark Teeton was stabbed outside Brompton Barracks.
"Our thoughts are with Mark, his family and friends, and his colleagues at this terrible time and we hope he will make a full recovery.
"Mark's commitment and dedication to supporting veterans' mental health saw him raise almost £3,000 for Combat Stress last month when he ran in our D-Day 44 Challenge on the 80th anniversary of that battle.
"The money he raised will help us to continue delivering our vital services across the UK to those veterans struggling to overcome military-related trauma."
Anthony Esan, 24, has been remanded in custody after appearing in court charged with the attempted murder of Lt Col Teeton.
Esan, who was arrested near his home in nearby Rochester, is also accused of possessing an offensive weapon in a public place.
He appeared at Medway Magistrates' Court and will next appear at Maidstone Crown Court on 22 August.
The head of the Army, General Sir Roly Walker, condemned the stabbing as "horrific and unprovoked", while Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he was "shocked and appalled".
Sally Port Gardens, where police said the incident took place, is near Brompton Barracks, the headquarters of 1 Royal School of Military Engineering Regiment.
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