Afghanistan veteran Paul Jacobs GM has been appointed to Broadstairs and St Peter’s Town Council as the representative for the St Peter’s ward.
Paul, who was brought up in Thanet by foster parents and attended Newington primary and Hereson School, was just 20 years old when he suffered severe shrapnel injuries in his arm, legs and face, losing one eye, blinded in the other and sustaining a traumatic brain injury in an explosion in Afghanistan in 2009 while serving with 2nd Battalion The Rifles
In 2010 Paul was awarded the George Medal, granted by Queen Elizabeth II in recognition of “acts of great bravery”. He left the Army in 2012.
A Broadstairs and St Peter’s Town Council spokesperson said: “Broadstairs and St Peter’s Town Council is pleased to welcome new councillor Paul Jacobs GM to support and represent the residents of St Peter’s Ward.
“Cllr Jacobs was successfully appointed to the Town Council on Monday evening following a co-option procedure to fill the vacancy arising from the departure of James Hobson earlier in the year.
“Having lost his sight during active service in Afghanistan, Cllr Jacobs’s priorities are supporting veterans and armed forces families, young people, and local residents living with disabilities and mental health challenges.”
In an address to Councillors, Cllr Jacobs said: “My aim is simple: to serve our parish with integrity, to listen to every voice and to help create a community where no-one is left behind.”
Since leaving the military, the dad-of-one has conquered numerous challenges in aid of veterans’ charities, including being the first war blind veteran to scale Britain’s highest peak, Ben Nevis, this year.
Paul has also raised hundreds of thousands for charities by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, cycling 500 miles, skydiving, running marathons, becoming the first blind war veteran to climb to Mount Everest base camp, walking across Norway for the Heroes of Telemark and more.
Closer to home, Paul has coached youngsters in boxing and is an ambassador for Diagrama Fostering and works with youngsters in the Broadstairs detachment of the Kent Army Cadet Force.
He is also ambassador for the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans and supports The Always a Rifleman Programme (AARP) which helps veterans and their families.
Paul is currently studying Society, Politics and Law with the Open University.
Find out more about Paul at: https://pauljacobsgm.uk/
