Flower arrangers in Melksham will devote their time and energy into raising money for the Help for Heroes charity this year in honour of Melksham army hero Josh Campbell, who lost both his legs in a Taliban bomb attack.

Members of the Melksham and District Flower Arrangement Society have chosen the forces charity because Pte Campbell, the step-grandson of its treasurer Stella Burroughs, was seriously injured while serving in Afghanistan with the 23 Pioneer Regiment.

Private Campbell, 19, a former George Ward School pupil from the Forest area of Melksham, was manning a heavy machine gun in the turret of a Mastiff armoured vehicle, when it was blown up in the Helmand Province on September 17 He remains at the Armed Forces Rehabilitation Centre at Headley Court in Surrey, where he has had prosthetic limbs fitted.

Mrs Burroughs, 67, who is the mother of Private Campbell’s stepfather Grant Martin, said she has seen Pte Campbell just over a week ago and said he was doing very well learning to walk with his prosthetic legs.

“I did bring up the idea of supporting Help for Heroes this year and everyone was very supportive,” she said.

“The last time I saw Josh he was doing very well. He has a new wheelchair with flashing lights, so he was showing me that.

“I feel very strongly about Help for Heroes now. I think it’s a brilliant charity and the sad thing is that we have got a necessity for it.”

The society chose Breast Cancer Support for its charity of the year in 2009 and were able to give the charity more than £700 at a presentation on February 16.

Fundraising events included an event featuring national demonstrator Patricia Dibben, as well as an afternoon tea party at one of the member’s homes, which more than 100 people attended.