2023 was dominated by yet more depressing news from around the world and within the UK. It would appear that the financial challenges for our clients and R2R will remain with us all for a few more years yet. We remain very grateful to RMA – The Royal Marines Charity, the Veterans Foundation and several individuals who have continued to support us well.
We increased the face-to-face sessions in 2023, but the majority (75%) remain over video.
Coaches
Jamie Sanderson and Malcolm Williams lead the very experienced coaching team. In addition to Malcolm, Jamie and Kenny (in Scotland) we have: Nickie Tidmarsh in the North, Alastair Hill in London and the Southeast, Nathan Dunn in Bristol, Alan Johnson in the North, Sheila O’Neill and Janis Hough in the Midlands, Al Whitton in London, Vivienne McKinnon in Northern Ireland, Heather Melvin in the Isle of Man and Tony Atkinson, Debbie Banks and Kevin Taylor-McHale in the Southwest. We welcome back James Tripp who is coaching one day a week for us. We have 16 coaches nationwide.
Staff
We are blessed to keep Joy Jones as a volunteer and integral part of the Exeter Office Team with a particular focus with family matters. Carlie Foster runs the office and fundraising with Callum Connolly and Al Webb providing the immediate support to clients. Li Beech continues to support our events and is collating our myriad of feedback.
Laura concentrates now on bookkeeping and Dan Elliott continues his great work at keeping us in the public eye. We have been joined by Krystal Griffiths in the office as administrative support for everyone.
Clients
We saw (new clients not including existing from previous years): 115 (134 in 2022) RM and family, 325 (379 in 2022) Army and family, 103 (100 in 2022) RN and family, 76 (65 in 2022) RAF and family, 239 Police (an increase of over 100), 22 Fire Service, 26 Ambulance Service and 16 (20 in 2022) others who we helped out as they were desperate.
That is a total of 922 (914 in 2022) in the year and the total number of clients coached in the year was 1,232. They were seen many times by 16 coaches. Each time is called a session and there were 4,172 (over 3942 in 2022) sessions completed in the year. This does not account for the countless phone calls and emails that we do.
However, no client is signed off. It is left to them to determine whether they need us or not. Some do 2 sessions a year every year and that is enough.
Geographical Spread
London and the SE 20%, Southwest 30%, Scotland has 7%, Midlands 19%, North 6%, East Anglia 3%, Republic of Ireland, N Ireland and Overseas 2%, Jersey 4%, Isle of Man 2% and Wales 2%.
Anonymous Feedback
At the end of 2023 we had received 770 responses to our anonymous feedback form. The team receive marks of 9.6 out of 10 and 8.8 out of 10 for our initial response and subsequent coaching respectively. Below this report are some of the shorter but interesting comments made by clients.
Funding
We remain totally grateful to Royal Marines Association – the Royal Marines Charity, the Veterans Foundation and Olympian Homes for their constant and generous funding of our coaching. We remain very grateful for the myriad of wonderful supporters who join in our events and do so many amazing things to raise the money to ensure we continue into our tenth year.
In addition, Patron Capital provides us with free coaching rooms for two weeks a month in London. This is a huge benefit in kind, and we are very grateful.
At least 75p in the £1 goes directly to looking after our clients.
Responded successfully in safe interventions to save and preserve life of 50 potential life-threatening events.
Please note that Rock2Recovery is a community interest company and not a charity. We are still not for profit and all monies raised go towards clients or the wherewithal to provide a nationwide service.
A Client’s Perspective:
I would like to share my story of our experience of Rock2Recovery. I have been serving in the UK Armed forces for over two decades, and for the last 14 years my Wife has suffered with mental illness. We have overcome much adversity together, ups and downs, coped with change and worked hard to achieve stability over the years. Yet the pain and torment for her continued to dominate both predictably, and sometimes without warning. For me as a husband, a father and a carer, the strain was starting to show. We have been wonderfully supported by the NHS over the years, but it wasn’t enough. Just after Christmas 2018 she came closer to the edge than ever before, and it was miracle that we were shortly due to see xxxx from Rock to recovery for the first time.
Xxxxxx saw us in less-than-ideal circumstances for him. We met outside an apartment he was about to rent for the night, he stepped out of the taxi, and we went into the apartment together. My wife was very nervous about meeting someone new, but immediately she felt very comfortable around him. Xxx and my wife sat down, I went to make a cup of tea, and he just went to work immediately. I had expected to be told to wait outside for the duration but with consent I was welcomed into the session and included. The next 3 hours totally changed my life, our relationship, and put my wife on path to recovery I hadn’t dared dream of.
We have seen xxxxxx a further 5 times. My wife’s mental health has improved steadily and consistently over the last 9 months. During this period there has been major upheaval within my wife’s immediate family, and just after I needed to work abroad. In the past this would have caused irreparable damage, and there’s no way I could have gone away. As it was I did go away, but eventually the family issue did cause a crisis. On the week after coming home we had an appointment with xxxxxxx and what he did was almost unbelievable to witness.
My wife walked in to that appointment suicidal, and left smiling and hopeful, and was able to cope while I was away for a further two weeks (the following week), and organise the purchase of a new house, and cope with the family issue, and care for a very poorly dog, all whilst the kids were off school on the holidays. At the end of that appointment, I was overcome with emotion, and I broke down. The feeling of relief that there is someone out there who can actually help my wife to get better is just overwhelming.
Xxxx is such a great guy. He listens, but he isn’t afraid to say what needs to be said. He is inspiringly honest and he actually cares. He adapts to the situation and has a depth of insight and instinct that allows his to go straight to the root of the issue. That coupled with his array of techniques means he is able to deal with the issue, or more accurately help the individual deal with the issue.
So I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart to Rock2Recovery. You have changed our lives, and we will forever be grateful.
Some Anonymous Feedback
“I was listened to, I felt safe, I felt valued and I finally felt cared for”
“But as a military wife I had no idea I could get support from you as well”
“I like the fact that they concentrate on the recovery and not the trauma”
“It’s helped to be part of their events. My confidence has grown being part of the R2R team and now I can face my day-to-day life”
“Making me stop and think and challenging my thoughts”
“It’s hard to believe in yourself when all you see is darkness. Taking the leap forward was the best thing I’ve done. With these sessions your treated as an individual, not just someone on a list. This is the difference. Difficult to explain but once you’ve been with R2R you’ll understand their method and how absolutely life changing they are. A complete team changing lives.”
“I can’t find the words. It feels like sorcery! But whatever the system is that you’ve developed and utilise, it works. It constantly gives new perspectives and empowers the service users (I speak for myself and my partner who is Police and is also working with R2R). I feel that xxxxx was always destined to be my coach.”
And finally:
“I think this service is unique and life changing/saving”
