Fisher House is a 'home away from home' for military patients and their families, located within a short walk of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, which is home to the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine and treats injured and ill soldiers from across the UK.

The House, a partnership between QEHB Charity, American charity Fisher House Foundation and UK charity Help for Heroes has provided over 1,200 nights of free accommodation to the families of wounded or ill soldiers since it was officially opened on June 21, 2013, by HRH The Prince of Wales.

The 18 bedroom facility is equipped with family size en-suite bedrooms, a play area, homely lounges, a dining area and laundry room and a spacious kitchen.

With communal living at the heart of the House, these comforts help to make Fisher House a safe haven for families at a time when they need it most.

Staff Sergeant Stuart Gemmell and his family experienced first-hand the supportive environment Fisher House offers after Stuart was injured in Helmand.

The Royal Engineer had been assigned the job of clearing the surrounding maze of homemade bombs when he mistakenly stepped on an explosive that blew off his leg. The brave soldier was flown to Birmingham's QE and spent eight weeks in recovery.

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He lost one leg in the explosion and suffered further substantial trauma to his remaining leg, as well as his buttocks and arms.

Stuart's wife, Kelly Gemmell, said: "Fisher House was a godsend for me and my girls.

"We were able to visit Stuart every day and to have somewhere that we could call home for the eight weeks that Stuart was being treated. "You see things on the news and you know that it could happen to you, but you never think that it will."

Squadron Leader Andy Shenton AFC has served as a paramedic winchman on Search and Rescue Sea King Helicopters and in the Royal Air Force for over 26 years.

In early 2014, Andy underwent life-saving neurosurgery at the QE to remove a malignant brain tumour. His rare condition required several months of daily outpatient cancer treatment and specialist follow-up procedures that are only available in a limited number of locations in the UK, including the QE hospital.

Andy's wife and two children, who live over 200 miles from Birmingham, stayed at Fisher House for several weeks, visiting him every day through his recovery.

Andy said: "Fisher House and the whole support team took away a complete range of worries and provided a sense of community that allowed me and my family to concentrate on my treatment and recovery.

"I will require close monitoring and frequent check-ups at the QE for the rest of my life.

"When further treatment is required, knowing that Fisher House is there in my time of need is massively reassuring for all of us

"Kerry Ford came to Fisher House after her husband, Nobby, suffered a carotid artery blow out following an operation to remove scar tissue after a previous operation to remove a malignant tumour from his throat, neck and shoulder. Kerry, who lives in the Falkland Islands, said: "I had a call telling me to come to the UK, as they didn't think that Nobby was going to survive".

Kerry rushed from her home over 8,000 miles away to be by Nobby's side. By the time she arrived, with only a small suitcase with some clothes hastily thrown into it, Nobby was in an induced coma, having undergone another operation to remove part of his skull to help the swelling on his brain decrease.

Kerry said: "I had nowhere close by to stay. Friends that I had were over three hours' drive away and I needed to be near to Nobby, to stay with him throughout the day.

"The support that you get from the team at Fisher House is phenomenal – they are there to listen to you, through the good times and the bad, they understand and empathise with the situation that you are in and the other families staying there all come together; it's like having an extended family."

Kerry stayed at Fisher House for over 18 months, close by to Nobby as he underwent intensive rehabilitation at the hospital.

"We will return to Fisher House for many years to come as Nobby will need further treatment and operations. Having Fisher House makes such a difference to us both."

Mike Hammond, chief executive at QEHB Charity said: "The hospital treats injured military personnel, many of whom were injured in Iraq an Afghanistan and who continue to return to the hospital for more surgery, as well as personnel who are ill with cancer, liver disease or other illnesses.

"Fisher House offers support for families of these patients and ensures they can be close-by at a time of trauma and uncertainty.

"We are incredibly grateful to everyone at the Birmingham Post Business Awards for choosing to support Fisher House.

"Although families stay at the house for free, it costs QEHB Charity £25 per night to accommodate them, so every pound we raise really does make a huge difference.

"We are very grateful for the generous support from Fisher House Foundation, Help for Heroes and every individual, group and company that has donated to Fisher House in the past.

"We hope more people will learn about QEHB Charity and the ways we are providing vital support for troops and their families, so that we are able to provide a home for another 1,200 people, and another, and another, at a time when they really do need it most."