Andy Reid

Corporal Andy Reid MBE was serving in the 3rd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment in Afghanistan when his life changed forever. Losing his right arm and both legs after an IED explosion, Andy astounded all with his short recovery period and determination to overcome the adversity he was dealt. A testament to his attitude of overcoming adversity, Andy has never let the severity of his injuries hinder him. From skydiving to cycling, Andy has taken his injury in his stride and what he has achieved since has been a little short of unbelievable. Now hired as a motivational speaker, Andy shares the perspective of being a survivor, not a victim and inspires audiences to have self-belief.

Following the IED explosion in 2009, Andy made a quick recovery and made it his mission to never let adversity stop him. Redefining his life, supported by the Army Benevolent Fund, Andy has pushed his limits and completed a series of challenging feats to raise money for charity. From tandem skydiving and hiking to abseiling and cycling hundreds of miles, Andy’s daring feats culminated with reaching the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in 2022. In addition to these feats, Andy has also shared his empowering story in his autobiography “Standing Tall”. In honour of his achievements, Andy was the recipient of The Sun’s Millie Award for Overcoming Adversity, a testament to his courage.

In 2020, Andy became the Co-Founder of the Standing Tall Foundation, an initiative that supports mental and physical wellbeing, supporting his empowering message of overcoming adversity. Andy has further been honoured for his contributions, such as being appointed MBE for Services to Veterans and People with Disabilities by HRH Queen Elizabeth II, winning the 2022 Pride of St Helens Courage Award and reaching the finals of the 2024 Soldering On Awards.

As an inspiring military veteran, Andy is now hired as a keynote and motivational speaker for a range of corporate and public speaking engagements. Sharing his empowering story of overcoming profound adversity, Andy is well-versed in many topical conversations – including homelessness, suicide, depression, mental health and job loss. When hired as a speaker, Andy delivers a powerful and inspirational presentation about self-belief and the power of goal setting, providing insights that are translatable into the world of business. Also able to speak on the challenges of transitioning to civilian life after military service, Corporal Andy Reid MBE is a decorated speaker who is guaranteed to empower audiences to overcome personal adversity and achieve their goals.