FALKLANDS veteran Simon Weston OBE is the special guest at a fundraising concert being performed by the Band of the Royal Marines Commando Training Centre.

Mr Weston will be supporting the concert in aid of Royal Star and Garter Homes for disabled ex-service men and women, being held this Saturday at the Manor Pavilion, Sidmouth.

The marine musicians are highly regarded for their superb musical talents and the visual splendour of their ceremonial uniform.

To make their music accessible to as many people as possible, and raise as much money as they can, they will be staging two performances on the day.

The first is an afternoon concert taking place at 2.30pm, and the second is an evening performance at 7.30pm.

It's a busy time for the band because they have recently embarked upon another season of live concerts, many of which take place at Exmouth Pavilion.

They present a varied programme of music covering a broad range of styles, from the classical repertoire to the swing band era. Over the years their concerts have raised thousands of pounds for various good causes and charities.

The beneficiary of the Sidmouth concert, the Royal Star and Garter Homes, provides nursing and therapeutic care to the ex-service community at its centres in Richmond and Solihull.

Since it was founded in 1916, the organisation's priority has been to promote independence and the enjoyment of an active lifestyle, ensuring individuals are supported in living life to the full.

It is a vision that still remains today to ensure that ex-servicemen and women of any age, and the widows and widowers, spouses and civil partners of ex-service people, will benefit from such care long into the future.

Being a registered charity means it is heavily reliant on voluntary contributions to provide its special brand of care.

More than 50 per cent of its running costs must be raised via fundraising activities which also ensure funds are in place to support new projects.

It is a charity Simon Weston is only too happy to support, as he knows first-hand how important care and support is to injured servicemen.

The Welsh guardsman suffered 46 per cent burns when serving in the Falklands conflict in 1982.

He was badly injured when the Sir Galahad was destroyed in Bluff Cove.

His struggle to overcome his injuries, and the way it has redefined his role in life, has been an inspiration to many people.

Mr Weston endured years of reconstructive surgery, including 70 major operations and surgical procedures.

Today he is a tireless worker for the Royal British Legion and Royal Star and Garter Homes.

His charitable work earned him an OBE in the 1992 Queen's Birthday Honours.

He was also awarded Freedom of the City of Liverpool in 2002 in recognition of his bravery and his charity work in the region.

His story has been well publicised and his most recent book, Moving On, was published in 2003 and sees him lay his Falklands ghosts to rest.

Tickets for both performances of the Band of the Royal Marines Commando Training Centre at the Manor Pavilion cost £12.

For further information, call 01395 514413.