Follow this link to all the latest news from the Ripple Pond.
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Follow this link to all the latest news from the Ripple Pond.
Read moreA set of books that bring together the moving stories of every Special Air Service and Long Range Desert group casualty of the Second World War has raised £100,000 for Combat Stress, the UK’s leading charity for veterans’ mental health.
After 13 years of research, the author, who writes under the anonymous name of Ex-Lance-corporal X, published The SAS and LRDG Roll of Honour 1941-47 in 2016. The set of three books celebrate the extraordinary and often unreported bravery of 374 casualties during the Second World War.
Read moreA fundraiser from Wiltshire will take part in the London Marathon this year in aid of Combat Stress, after they helped her friend’s son, Marc, before he sadly passed away from a heart condition last year.
Catherine Parfitt decided to support the veterans’ mental health charity after they helped Marc, who had post-traumatic stress disorder following tours of Afghanistan.
Catherine said “Marc was really struggling with his mental health and Combat Stress supported him. If he was still here he would be wanting to raise money to support their work.
Read moreToday is an exciting day for us at Give Us Time as our families have just arrived in Bulgaria for our annual trip to the amazing Balkan Jewel Resort.
This donation of time is allowing us to send over 100 individuals on a holiday of a lifetime which will enable them to take time out from the stresses of military life and reconnect as family units. This will be the first year that amongst other regiments the 4 Armoured Medical Regiment will be joining our respite break in Bulgaria. The need of time away to rest and reconnect can be especially high for serving medical personnel, considering they were specifically mentioned in the Defence People Mental Health & Wellbeing Strategy as being at an increased risk of suffering from PTSD symptoms and more challenging transitions.
Read moreA leading charity says Britain needs educating about the effects stress can have on wellbeing and health. Recent research from FirstLight Trust found that men have the highest rates for suffering in silence with 87 percent confessing to dealing it with alone. Women were only marginally better, with four in five (82 per cent) still holding everything in.
Read moreNHS England has appointed St Andrew’s Healthcare as the provider for the NHS Veterans’ Mental Health Complex Treatment Service in the East of England and the East Midlands, and Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust as the provider of this service in the West Midlands.
Read moreMinistry of Defence strategy to improve the mental health and wellbeing of the armed forces, their families, veterans, and defence civilians.
Extract from Preface by Lieutenant General Richard Nugee Chief of Defence People:
“Since the publication of the Armed Forces Mental Health Strategy 2011, the mental health and wellbeing of our Defence People has been a subject of substantial investment and focus. At the time of writing it is extremely newsworthy and it seems everybody has something to say about it.
Veterans’ Gateway Newsletter March 2018
Read moreBy Sue Freeth, Chief Executive, Combat Stress.
Combat Stress’ residential programmes for veterans living with mental health problems are respected around the world. So why is the UK withdrawing £3.2 million in funding from this life saving work?
The recent announcement of our new helpline for those serving in the armed forces is most welcome. So too is NHS England’s investment in specialist mental health community services for veterans. But these services alone are not enough.
Read morePut your best foot forward this March in aid of veterans’ mental health charity Combat Stress, as they seek to raise money to meet the staggering increase in demand for their specialist services.
In the last ten years, the number of former servicemen and women with mental health problems who have contacted the charity for treatment has risen by 143% – from 994 in 2006/7 to 2,420 in 2016/17. The NHS, Ministry of Defence and Combat Stress’ own research forecast that demand for veterans’ mental health services will continue to rise over the next decade.
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Afghanistan support
In light of recent events in Afghanistan, please find information and support resources here
