A year ago services veteran Will Williams struggled to walk 200 metres.

This week he will be taking part in a winter sports event that will see him Nordic skiing, dog sledging and playing ice sledge hockey amongst a raft of other activities.

What makes his endeavour all the more remarkable is that Mr Williams, 50, is taking lifesaving cancer research trial drugs.

And it’s his battle with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia that has prompted Mr Williams, who served in the RAF, to seize the opportunity to take part in the event.

The Allied Winter Sports Camp, which begins tomorrow, has been organised by Soldier On, the Canadian sister-charity of Help for Heroes and will take place in Whistler, Canada.

Mr Williams, 50, a member of the pastoral team at Bovington Academy, which is part of the Aspirations Academies Trust, said: "My leukaemia is not curable and I am taking tablets that are keeping me alive.

"And having survived being in intensive care and being told I would not see out the hour, when the opportunity came up to take part in the sports camp, I very much thought ‘why shouldn’t I give this a go?’

"I’m having a go and I’m proving something to myself. I can’t wait to fly over to Canada and give it my all.’’

Married with two children and three small grandchildren, Mr Williams has lived in Bovington since 1996.

He joined the Royal Air Force in 1991 and was based at RAF Chivenor in Devon and during his tour he was detached to the Falkland Islands. He was then posted to RAF Laarbruch in Germany.

It was during this time that he sustained a serious back injury and underwent major spinal surgery. This led to his medical discharge from the RAF and he and his family moving back to the UK.

What followed was a difficult period of re-adjustment for Mr Williams but he eventually secured a job as a youth and community officer and started a part-time degree.

Mr Williams first got involved with Help for Heroes last year when he took part in the Invictus Trials UK 100 and 200 metre race, a decision he describes as ‘’life-changing’’.

Although he came last, Mr Williams can still see the positive and said he is grateful to be back connected to the military community and to have its support.

He explained: "Did I come first – no – last in fact, but, was I a winner of that race – absolutely! For me, Invictus is about achieving individuals achieving their own personal goals. A year ago, I couldn’t walk 200 metres. Getting involved with Help for Heroes and the Invictus Games has been life-changing for me."

He added: "Having the support and encouragement of fellow veterans has helped me so much for my recovery."