GlaxoSmithKline to support Help for Heroes’ rehabilitation efforts

GlaxoSmithKline has announced a new partnership with Help for Heroes to help rehabilitate injured British armed forces personnel.

The initiative will see GlaxoSmithKline contribute one million pounds to support the creation of a specialist Phoenix Wellness Centre at the Tedworth House personnel recovery and assessment facility in Wiltshire.

This funding will be deployed over the course of five years for the initial construction and the ongoing running of the centre, which will open in mid-2012 and will deliver health, sport and exercise programmes for more than 1,000 servicemen and women.

It is hoped that this will help former soldiers to meet their physical and psychological recovery goals and transition back into civilian life.

Andrew Witty, chief executive officer of GlaxoSmithKline, said: "This new partnership with Help for Heroes will make state-of-the-art rehabilitation facilities available to wounded servicemen and women who deserve our support."

Earlier this year, the pharmaceutical company announced a joint programme with the World Anti-Doping Agency that will help create early detection methods for performance-enhancing compounds in future sporting events.