IF you have lost a leg in Afghanistan these men will offer you no sympathy.

Instead they will provide something more useful.

The Pilgrim Bandits are a charity based in the New Forest. The core of the group is a dozen former SAS and SBS veterans. They’ve been fundraising for five years and they want your help as they refocus their efforts to help men who have suffered life-changing injuries – typically blindness or the loss of a limb.

The men wounded in this way can easily spiral into drink, drugs and depression during the difficult first few months back home.

They receive fantastic intensive care at places like Headley Court – but afterwards, especially if they are discharged from the army, they can feel their lives are over.

Fit young men of 20 want to play sport or chase girls in nightclubs, not learn to walk again.

The Bandits are going to specialise in organising activity days out for these men. Typical events might be skiing, canoeing, climbing or sailing.

They emphatically will not be offering pity. The thinking is soldiers will get far more benefit out of doing something positive and challenging and may go on to be fundraisers themselves.

Charity patron John Sandford-Hart, 44, is a former soldier from Mudeford, who lost a leg in a powerboat accident. Now he dedicates himself to fundraising challenges, including completing five London Marathons. He knows how black everything can look when you are injured.

“Everyone goes on exercise, and you are alone with nothing but the TV and drink,” he said. “It’s a horrible place, I can tell you. I remember one day getting up at 11am and being so exhausted I had to go back to bed at 1pm. I thought: ‘Is this what the rest of my life is going to be like?’”

One of the charity’s founders, Mike, is a former special forces soldier living in the New Forest.

He said they had chosen to link up with The Rifles. The regiment has suffered more casualties in Afghanistan than any other. Over 300 members have suffered life-changing injuries and 45 have been killed – including Jonny Allott and Mark Hale from Bournemouth, and Phil Allen from Verwood.

The plan is to split the proceeds between themselves and The Rifles’ Care for Casualties appeal.

Another patron is Paratrooper Ben Parkinson, who lost both his legs and suffered brain damage when his skull was fractured. He was described as the most-injured serviceman to survive the Afghan war when he was blown up in 2006.

Today his mind is sharp, a-though his speech is poor and he has specialist therapy at Poole Hospital. He will be at a black tie dinner the group is organising at the Captain’s Club in Christchurch on November 26.

Ordinary people can help. They can raise funds themselves or take part in one of the challenges the group organises. The next is the Centurion Challenge on October 9, where participants walk up to 100km in 24 hours.

Last year’s events included the Sahara Challenge, a 100-mile trek over five days that raised £46,000 for Help For Heroes.

The Bandits now want to help individual soldiers and fill the “black hole” that comes after the initial rehabilitation.

Small fundraising events are coming thick and fast and the Daily Echo is backing the group’s work.

Mike, 57, said: “At the moment we are talking to some ex-regiment [SAS] lads in France about amputees kayaking the length of a canal near Bordeaux.”

John wants to cycle from John O’Groats to Land’s End and hopes firms will donate a hand cycle and a normal bike so they can be fixed together into a tandem.

They want to give the injured men the chance to face the future in the way they know best.

John said: “They are not used to getting sympathy – they never got any when they were in the army. It’s all about focusing them on what they can do, and what they can achieve.”

Visit www.pilgrimbandits.com for more details.