veterans world - issue 22
DESCRIPTION
Raising awareness of the help and advice available to Veterans.TRANSCRIPT
Issue 22 December 2011
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
Veterans get the key to the
new St Dunstans centre
®
Veterans get the key to the
new St Dunstans centre
Veterans World
SupportAdvice
One stop shopHelpline
Service PersonnelWar Pension
Pensions
Armed Forces Compensation Scheme
Residential HomeHomelessness
MoneyBenefitsRecognitionRemembrance
Ex-Service Armed Forces DayMedalsJoint Casualty and Compassionate CentreIn-Service
Armed Forces CovenantVeteransWidows Widowers
Service Personnel & Veterans Agency
Contact us:
Serving Personnel:JPAC Enquiry Centre: 0141 224 3600Email: [email protected]
Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre01452 519951
Veterans:Veterans UK Helpline: 0800 169 2277You may be offered a call back if lines arebusy
Email: [email protected]: www.veterans-uk.info
HELP AND SUPPORT FROMSERVICE PERSONNEL AND VETERANS AGENCY
Veterans Welfare Service
®
3Issue 22 December 2011
Be part of the communityNew grant scheme to provide awareness
opportunities
Making adjustmentsNorth East Well-being Group support for
veterans
Poppy callsA ‘handy’ service for veterans
A place to rememberThe National Memorial Arboretum tenth
anniversary
RegularsNews in Brief
SPVA News
Noticeboard
IN THIS ISSUE13
16
18
23
4-5
25
26
Veterans WORLD is distributed to those work in an advisory role.Managing Editor: Laurie MantonEditor: Clare EllisDeputy Editor: Chrissie ButterworthEmail: [email protected]
For distribution enquiriesEmail: [email protected] or call: 01253 330448 or 01253 338816
Want to make an editorial contribution?Contributions are most welcome.To raise awareness of an initiative, scheme or organisation that offershelp, advice or support to veterans, contact the editorial team;
by Email: [email protected] or by calling: 01253 338816
© Crown copyright 2011
For advertising opportunities please contact:
Front cover: Veterans receive the key to the new St
Dunstans Centre in Llandudno pages 6 - 7
The content of Veterans WORLD is provided to raise awareness ofhelp, advice and support available to the veterans community.Publication of articles on services provided or developmentsaffecting the veterans community does not mean that they areendorsed by Veterans WORLD or the Ministry of Defence.
13
Contents Issue 22
December 2011
22-23
1618 16
22-23
18
13
4
News in brief
The Lifeforce guide
New support forveterans in the WestMidlandsVolunteering charity TimeBank has expanded Shoulder toShoulder - its mentoring project for ex-Servicemen andwomen - into the West Midlands. This will enable TimeBankto support veterans from the Birmingham area to adjust tocivilian life following treatment for mental health problems. Shoulder to Shoulder was launched in London last year inpartnership with Combat Stress. It’s the first peer mentoringproject in the UK which supports this group. Volunteers areeither ex-Servicemen and women who have made asuccessful transition to civilian life or who have anunderstanding of the issues through direct familyconnections. They provide friendship and practical supportto enchance recovery.
The project’s expansion into the West Midlands has beenmade possible by funding of £114,500 from the Royal BritishLegion and Combat Stress’ Voluntary Sector StrategicPartnership. Shoulder to Shoulder has also been delightedby the support the project has received from BirminghamMind which has welcomed the project coordinator intoBirmingham Mind’s Mental Health Single Point of Access(SPA), a network that will help advertise the project’s workand encourage veterans to access the service.
One of the Birmingham team’s first initiatives is a drop-incentre at Carrs Lane Church in Birmingham city centre everyWednesday morning. There, local veterans and would-bementors will be able to drop in for coffee and a chat with theShoulder to Shoulder team and find out how they can getinvolved in the project. www.timebank.org.uk/shoulder-to-shoulder
To reflect the nation’s debt to the British Armed Forcesveterans of the Second World War, the Big Lottery Fund(BIG) has been awarding grants through its Heroes Return2 programme. To date, BIG has awarded over £25 millionto more than 50,000 Second World War veterans, widows,spouses and carers across the UK. The closing date forapplications is January 31, 2012 for journeys untilDecember 31, 2012.
Peter Wanless, Big Lottery Fund Chief Executive, said:
“It is important that veterans from across the countrywho have not yet applied for a grant are aware that theBig Lottery Fund’s Heroes Return 2 programme is stillopen for applications. I’m delighted that we can offer thissupport and I urge them to apply now for acommemorative trip in 2011/12 to revisit the places theyserved.”
Launched to mark the historic 60th anniversary of D-Dayin 2004, BIG’s first Heroes Return scheme awarded £16.6million to over 39,000 veterans, spouses, widows andcarers to fund commemorative visits to Second World Warbattlefields, cemeteries and other significant places acrossthe world.
Heroes Return was the centre-piece of the VeteransReunited programme including Home Front Recall whichawarded £19.2 million to support UK-based group eventsand activities to commemorate those who contributed tothe war-effort on the home front, and Their Past YourFuture with an ongoing £9.6 million scheme funding aUK-wide schools and education programme to give youngpeople the opportunity to learn first-hand from veteransabout their experience of war.
For more information and details of how to apply for aHeroes Return 2 grant call 0845 00 00 121 or visitwww.biglotteryfund.org.uk/heroesreturn
A map revealing where veterans in Scotland are to befound was launched in October. The map is based onthose aged between 26 and 65, where the greatestneed for additional support lies.
The map will be made available to health boards, localauthorities and charities to help them plan and delivertheir services to veterans in the future.
The map was derived from a Scottish Governmentstudy into the health of veterans and shows theconcentration of veterans in each postcode district.Individual residences are not identified to protectprivacy. It complements data recently released by theMOD on the area of residence of Armed Forcespensioners and War Disability pensioners. TheScottish Government have also mapped the MODveterans data and all three maps are available at
A new service designed to inform and support serviceveterans in the South West living with mental health issueslaunched in October.
The South West Veterans Mental Health Service is a newpartnership between Avon & Wiltshire Mental HealthPartnership NHS Trust and Combat Stress, the Veterans’Mental Health Charity, supported by Help for Heroes.
The aim of this innovative service is to deliver improved careand support to former Service personnel who suffer mentalhealth problems as a result of their military experiences.
One of the key tools of the new service is the website whichoffers advice, guidance, links, comments from other veteransand a helpline number allowing veterans or their families toself-refer to support services. www.swveterans.org.uk
New maps toaid servicesto veterans Dedicated mental
health support forSouth West veterans
Still time to make a heroes return
Lifeforce is a guide for professionals working with veterans,produced by Humber NHS Foundation Trust in collaborationwith Scottish Association of Mental Health. The guide isdesigned to help health professionals working with peoplewith a military background by providing them with anunderstanding of military culture and mental healthservices and issues that veterans may present with. Thebooklet contains veterans' own personal stories from thelocal region of their experience of accessing services.
The guide also acts as a resource, listing services available inthe local area to act as a directory in order to signpostveterans to sources of support for a range of issues fromdebt, employment and housing issues through to mentalhealth and alcohol problems. The guide aims to improvethe confidence of health professionals in working withmilitary veterans and make engagement for veterans easierand more effective.www.humber.nhs.uk/services/traumatic-stress-service.htm
The Merseyside Royal Marines group received awardsunder the scheme
Pictu
re: D
omini
c Hold
en
www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/health/ArmedForcesandVeterans/documents
5Issue 22 December 2011
A Memorial, honouring over 50,000 airmen killed duringthe Second World War, is to be built in London's Green Parkfollowing the award, by the Bomber CommandAssociation, of a contract for its construction.
The memorial will honour the 55,573 airmen from BomberCommand who lost their lives in the Second World War. Itis due for completion in 2012 when the RAF BenevolentFund will take over its ownership and ongoingmaintenance.
Designed by architect Liam O'Connor, who previouslydesigned the Armed Forces Memorial in Staffordshire, thememorial will feature as its centrepiece a nine-foot-high(2.7m) bronze by sculptor Philip Jackson depicting a seven-man bomber crew returning to base afteroperations.
It will be built in the north west corner of Green Park,adjacent to Piccadilly.
Tell Us Once is a service that will be availableacross most of England, Scotland and Wales inthe next few months. It makes it easier tonotify government and your local authority of abirth or bereavement.
From this autumn, the Service Personnel andVeterans Agency (SPVA) will become part ofthe Tell Us Once service. Tell Us Once will allowthe next of kin to inform SPVA almostimmediately to update its War PensionsScheme records.
Without Tell Us Once, reporting a birth or deathto government departments and the parts oflocal authorities that need to know means thatpeople have to repeat the same informationnumerous times.
When people register a death, the service willbe offered to them if it is available in their localauthority. People can choose to have a face-to-face interview or to do it by telephone.Organisations notified by Tell Us Once when adeath is registered can be found atwww.direct.gov.uk/death-tellusonce. This site will also let you know if the service isalready available in your area.
Tell Us Once
Bomber Command Memorial
The Armed Forces BillThe principles of the Armed Forces Covenant have beenenshrined in law for the first time after the Armed ForcesBill received Royal Assent in November.
The new Armed Forces Act 2011 creates the requirementfor an annual Armed Forces Covenant report to be made toParliament each year.
These reports will set out how the Government issupporting our Armed Forces, their families and veterans inkey areas such as healthcare, housing and education. http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2010-11/armedforces.html
Big White Wall – safe, anonymous support.When dealing with mental health issues, Servicepersonnel, veterans and their families now have access to specialised online help and support.
Within the first 24 hours of the launch ofwww.bigwhitewall.com, 600 people registered to useit. Clearly the volume of new joiners demonstratesthere has been a need for a safe, anonymous space forServing personnel, veterans and their families, toshare what’s troubling them and seek help withoutfear of stigma.
The online well-being network Big White Wall isequipped to support the mental health needs of theArmed Forces Community. The site is staffed byprofessional counsellors who can be contacted 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week.
Among other services, Big White Wall users can chatanonymously to others who may have gone throughsimilar experiences.
The Government has committed £250,000 to fund aone-year pilot of the Big White Wall online supportnetwork, specifically for Serving personnel, veteransand their families.
This is supported by a commitment of £100,000 fromHelp for Heroes for the first year, with additionalfunding after this
The Department of Health has also launched an e-learning package it has funded for GPs, so they canbetter identify mental health problems and supportveterans and their families.
The course was developed by the Royal College ofGeneral Practitioners as part of plans to improveveterans' mental health services.
It will raise awareness with GPs of the need to ensurethat those seriously injured when discharged from theArmed Forces continue to receive the best possiblecare. It will also ensure that GPs are able to offer theright support to families of those currently serving orwho are veterans.
As part of the Government's new mental healthstrategy, 'No Health Without Mental Health', over £7million in additional funding has been made availableover the next four years to help ensure that veteranswith mental health problems get the very best care.
Online mentalhealth forumlaunched
Architect's drawing of the Bomber Command Memorial
Pictu
re: ©
Liam
O'Co
nnor
Arch
itects
& Pl
annin
g Con
sulta
nts
6
St Dunstan’s new£12 million stateof the artRehabilitationand TrainingCentre in
Llandudno, NorthWales, opened onSeptember 19, to
begin providing
first class helpand support to
blind and visually impaired ex-Servicemen and women.
MARK LOVATT, Manager of St Dunstan’s
Llandudno Centre said,
“My staff and I are delighted to finally be
able to welcome beneficiaries in to this
magnificent facility. We are really looking
forward to using our skills and experience
to help blind and visually impaired
veterans regain their independence, meet
new challenges and achieve a better
quality of life.”
The Llandudno Centre is a striking building
set in scenic grounds, and has 40 en-suite
bedrooms with a mixture of residential
and nursing beds plus a variety of
residential lounges, a fully equipped gym,
two training kitchens featuring all the
latest helpful gadgets, a sports/activities
hall, IT training rooms, and an arts and
crafts workshop.
There is also a training flat where
beneficiaries can stay for a short period of
time to help them hone their independent
living skills secure in the knowledge that
there are St Dunstan’s staff nearby if they
need help.
The Centre will serve the whole of the UK,
but especially blind and visually impaired
veterans across Wales and North West
England. It has the capacity to
accommodate up to 50 people a day.
Eighty-two year old Trevor Berry, from
Liverpool, was among the first
beneficiaries to sample the Centre’s
facilities as he and wife Ann, 81, enjoyed a
week long holiday starting on
September 19. Trevor said:
“The day the Centre opened -
September 19, was actually our 58th
wedding anniversary, so we were thrilled
to be able to celebrate it at the St
Dunstan’s Centre. Ann and I can’t thank
the staff enough for such a brilliant holiday
and all the facilities were so impressive.”
On the morning of the Centre’s first day of
business, three intrepid visually impaired
ex-Servicemen marked the opening of the
Centre and the end of an epic 327-mile
celebratory march by handing over a
symbolic ‘key’ for the Centre to Mark
Lovatt.
Billy Black, Charlie Eastwood and Chris Lee
are all beneficiaries of St Dunstan’s – the
charity that helps blind and visually
impaired ex-Servicemen and women.
They started the Centre-2-Centre march on
September 5 at the charity’s Brighton
Rehabilitation and Training Centre, where
they were given the ‘key’ to the charity’s
new Llandudno Centre and then visited St
Dunstan’s Sheffield Centre before finally
reaching the new Centre on September 19.
It is the fact that the March encompassed
all the charity’s Centres that gave it its
name.
Billy Black said:
” I came up with the idea for the
Centre-2-Centre march because I wanted
to give something back to St Dunstan’s for
all the support it has given me over the
years. St Dunstan’s Sheffield and Brighton
Centres have helped all three of us and we
wanted to celebrate the opening of the
Llandudno Centre, so Charlie and Chris
were more than willing to join me on the
march.”
The new Llandudno Rehabilitation and Training Centre now open
“. . . all the
facilities were
so impressive.”
Trevor and Ann Berry were among the first to enjoy the new facilities
ContactsIf you would like to know more about St
Dunstan’s and its new Llandudno
Rehabilitation and Training Centre,
visit: www.st-dunstans.org.uk
or call 020 7723 5021.
New St Dunstan’s ce
7Issue 22 December 2011
“We are really
looking forward to
using our skills
and experience to
help blind and
visually impaired
veterans regain
their independence,
meet new
challenges and
achieve a better
quality of life.”
ntre opens its doors
Wyn Owen - a St Dunstan’s beneficiary tries out new
shaded glasses with the help of a Rehabilitation Officer
for Visually Impaired
John Robinson, another St Dunstan’s beneficiary, tries out thefacilities in the Llandudno centre’s specially adapted gym
Three veterans, supported by St Dunstans, receive the key to the new centre during its launch in September
8
The Government is investing up to£15 million to support therecommendations to improveprosthetics services for militaryveterans who have lost a limb due toactivities while serving their country.
DR ANDREW MURRISON MP led a review
into the prosthetic services currently
offered to veterans by the NHS.
In response to his key recommendations,
the Department of Health will introduce
a number of national specialist
prosthetic and rehabilitation centres for
amputee veterans across the country.
The Government will work with service
charities, including Help for Heroes and
BLESMA (The British Limbless Ex-Service
Men’s Association) as well as specialists
within the NHS to ensure that high
quality NHS facilities are available to
military heroes.
Prime Minister David Cameron, who
made the announcement, said:
"This report maps out a clear strategy for
ensuring that those brave people can be
confident they will receive the same
levels of access to prosthetic limbs and
specialist care from the NHS as they do
at Headley Court.
"Based on the recommendations in this
report, this Government will make the
resources necessary to meet that need in
England, and we are working with the
Devolved Administrations on
arrangements in Scotland, Wales and
Northern Ireland.”
Dr Andrew Murrison MP, said:
“The rapid roll out of the
recommendations I made last year on
veterans’ mental health has been
impressive and I look forward to these
latest proposals being progressed with
the same enthusiasm. I hope the
action points I have offered honour
the military covenant and benefit
military amputees but I have been
clear that they should also help to
improve the service available to all
limb centre users.”
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley, said:
"We will use the opportunity provided
by Dr Murrison's report to extend the
modern, high quality treatment
currently provided by Headley Court not
only to veterans but also to NHS
patients, for whom it is clinically
appropriate.”
Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare
and Veterans, Andrew Robathan, said:
“The recommendations build on the
high standards of rehabilitation and
prosthetics provided by the Defence
Medical Services and will ensure that the
quality of care our people rightly
deserve continues into civilian life
through the NHS, for as long as the care
is needed.”
Jerome Church General Secretary of
BLESMA (The British Limbless Ex-Service
Men’s Association), said:
“We are now much more confident that
the NHS will be able to provide the
prosthetic support veterans need and
deserve - for the rest of their lives. We
are also delighted that this enhanced
support will be extended to all veterans
who lost limbs in earlier conflicts.”
Bryn Parry OBE, co-founder and Chief
Executive of Help for Heroes said:
“We look forward to working with the
NHS, MOD and other departments and
charities to ensure that the amputees
and indeed all military casualties, get the
very best support for life.”
New NHS treatment centres for military heroesMurrison’s NHS prosthetics services review recommendations supported by Government
Eligibility for the services provided bythese new prosthetic and rehabilitationcentres - the intention is that all veterans
with injuries caused by Service and
requiring prosthetics care will be eligible to
use the service, subject to clinical need.
The Department of Health will also use the
experience and feedback from providing
these specialist services to veterans and
apply these to the wider NHS, so that all
patients will benefit in the future.
9Issue 22 December 2011
(from l to r) Billy, Charlie and Chris handing the
‘key’ to Mark Lovatt
An independent audit commissioned bythe MOD has shown the majority ofBritish nuclear test veterans feel theirhealth needs are being met well by the
NHS.
THE audit, carried out with support from
the British Nuclear Test Veterans
Association (BNTVA), asked nearly 900
veterans about their experiences of serious
ill-health and their views of how health and
social care services had met their needs. It
also gathered suggestions from the
veterans about how health and social care
services could be improved.
Most veterans felt their needs were being
met well by the NHS, though there were
some concerns expressed about access to
social care services.
Veterans made a number of suggestions
including how communication with the
MOD could be improved, such as the
provision of better information about the
nuclear tests.
In total, 891 questionnaires were sent out to
veterans who had participated in the British
Nuclear Tests in the 1950s and 1960s. More
than 633 were returned, a response rate of
71 per cent. In addition 84 individuals took
part in eight discussion groups which took
place at various locations around the UK.
The Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare
and Veterans, Andrew Robathan, said:
"The MOD will be considering the veterans'
suggestions in detail and in consultation
with other Government departments such
as the Department of Health.
"We appreciate the help provided by the
British Nuclear Test Veterans Association in
helping to promote participation in the
project with their members, and we will
work with them to examine and respond to
the issues raised by the report.
"The Government recognises and is grateful
to all the Servicemen who were present at
the nuclear testing programme. Their
contribution ensured that the UK was
equipped with an appropriate nuclear
deterrent during the Cold War which,
thankfully, we have never had cause to
use."
Chairman of the BNTVA, Nigel Heaps, said:
"Since April 2009, the BNTVA has worked
closely with the Ministry of Defence and
Miles & Green Associates to investigate the
particular health needs of nuclear test
veterans and their offspring with a view to
identifying priorities and taking action to
improve health. Having been fully involved
at every stage of this work we are delighted
to support the publication of its findings.
During this period the BNTVA has been
actively supported by our patron John
Baron MP.
"Information from the audit will greatly
assist our charity in achieving our key aims;
we desperately needed to quantify the
health and well-being problems faced by
Atomic Veterans to ensure we target our
activities and resources to the greatest
effect. This study is the first time that
veterans themselves have been asked for
their personal response to questions
regarding their health and well-being.”
Health needs audit finds NHS supportsBritish nuclear test veterans
Information
http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/
AboutDefence/CorporatePublications/
HealthandSafetyPublications/NuclearTests/
UkNuclearTestVeteransHealthNeedAudit.htm
The health needs audit can be found at
"This study is the first time thatveterans themselves have beenasked for their personalresponse to questions regardingtheir health and well-being."
"We appreciate the helpprovided by the British NuclearTest Veterans Association inhelping to promoteparticipation in the projectwith their members, and wewill work with them to examineand respond to the issues raisedby the report.”
Most veterans felt that their needs were being met by the NHS
10
Jock Hutchinson (front) and RM
Jay Hare out on the trail
ContactsThe fear of stigma and discriminationare two of the biggest obstacles facedby Veterans with mental health
problems, but a charity has launched acampaign to encourage people to seekhelp sooner.
COMBAT STRESS is the UK’s leading
military charity specialising in the
treatment of veterans’ mental ill-health.
On October 10, it launched a two-year
campaign, funded by Comic Relief, to
further raise awareness of Combat Stress’s
services, address the stigma that
surrounds veterans’ mental health
disorders, and battle the perception of
shame that so often prevents brave
ex-Servicemen and women from seeking
help. Similar work is underway within the
Army through its ‘Don’t bottle it up’
anti-stigma campaign.
Veterans are being encouraged to seek
help by picking up the phone and calling
the Combat Stress 24-hour Helpline on
0800 138 1619 or text 07537 404 719.
Reducing StigmaA two-year campaign aims to address the stigma that surrounds veterans’ mental health
Combat Stress is a national charity that
provides its services across the United
Kingdom. For more information, visit
www.combatstress.org.uk.
World-renowned chef Marco PierreWhite joined forces with Riverside-ECHGto help launch a fundraising campaignto kit out their new social enterprisebakery which will provide veterans ofIraq, Afghanistan and other conflictswith vital training opportunities.
THE bakery will be built at RECHG’s new
The Beacon scheme, which neighbours
Catterick Garrison in North Yorkshire and
which is due to officially launch in 2012
and will be supporting homeless
ex-Servicemen
and women from
across the
country.
The Beacon is a
flagship
accommodation,
training and
social enterprise
centre run by
RECHG, which
helps ex-Service
personnel at risk
of homelessness.
The bakery will
provide the
opportunity to
start fresh lives by
providing
vocational
training and accredited qualifications.
Riverside’s MOD Area Manager, Trevor
Morris, himself an ex-Serviceman, said:
“When people leave the Armed Forces
they often find that while they have lots of
very useful team and project management
skills, they need to develop trades that will
find them jobs in civilian life.
“We consulted with a lot of veterans about
what trades would interest them and
active trades such as a bakery and
landscaping came out very high. All our
residents are thrilled that Marco has come
on board to support them and they can’t
wait to offer him the very first batch of
Veterans Cookies to come out of their
bakery.”
“I feel passionate about themorality and value ofworking hard and thestabiliser of routine to helpground people. And there’snothing more beautiful andhonest than making a decentloaf of bread or goodespresso. This bakery is away to bring peopletogether and work for acommon cause.”
Marco Pierre White
ContactsThe Bakery will be run in partnership
with the Clervaux Trust, artisan bakers,
themselves a local social enterprise.
www.spaces.org.uk
The social enterprise with celebrity connections
Riverside-ECHG client and former Serviceman Ian Walker - Marco Pierre
White - Active Serviceman Kingsman Madine from Catterick Garrison
The Enemy Within Appeal was launched on October 10 - World Mental Health Day
September 2011
Service Personnel & Veterans Agency
Armed ForcesCompensation Scheme
Call the free Helpline to find out more.
0800 169 2277 (UK only) +44 1253 866 043 (overseas)
Injured due to service on or after 6 April 2005?You may be entitled to compensation from the
Armed Forces Compensation Scheme.
www.mod.uk/afcs www.veterans-uk.info
Cliff,an Army Veteran. He saw active
service as a 21 year old in the
Second World War and served
until 1948. During his career in
the Armed Forces he was
posted in North Africa and
Palestine.
Now we aresupporting him . . .
The Veterans Welfare Service, part of the MOD’s Service Personnel and
Veterans Agency’s services to the Armed
Forces Community across the UK.
From advice on Service pensions, referrals to
ex-Service organisations to accessing your Welfare
needs, there may be something we can help you
with.
The Veterans Welfare Service provides a personal
caseworker service that can support you via the
telephone or home visits, if needed.
Give us a callto see how we might be able to help you . . . Just call
our helpline on 0800 169 2277 and ask to speak to
the Veterans Welfare Service.
For more information visit
www.veterans-uk.info
The Veterans Welfare Service
12
Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trusthas launched a Military Veterans’
Service to provide mental healthsupport to veterans of the British
Armed Forces and their immediatefamily members.
THE MILITARY VETERANS’ SERVICE has
been commissioned as part of the
Improving Access to Psychological
Therapies (IAPT) programme.
It’s one of the first IAPT services for
veterans in the country and the first time
Pennine Care has provided a service
across the region, making it a significant
development for the Trust. Based near
Manchester, Pennine Care is a proven
provider of mental health and
community services, providing care to a
population of 1.1 million.
The Military Veterans’ Service can help
anyone who has served in the Army,
Royal Navy or Royal Air Force, including
the Reserves. It provides treatment and
support for a range of mental health
conditions such as depression, anxiety,
stress, anger, substance misuse and post-
traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
“Most people who leave the Armed
Forces make the transition to civilian
life without too much difficulty but there
are a number who struggle to adapt and
need help,” explained Dr Alan Barrett,
Principal Clinical Psychologist and Clinical
Lead for the service.
“Leaving the structure and discipline of
the Armed Forces is a big change and
some veterans find it hard to adjust to a
lifestyle where they are faced with new
responsibilities and required to make
more of their own decisions. This can
create stress and worry, which in some
cases can over time lead to longer term
psychological problems such as
depression, anxiety, anger and drug and
alcohol misuse.”
The service was developed in partnership
with veterans and veterans support
agencies to ensure it meets the needs of
ex-Service personnel. A non-clinical
service will also work with the Military
Veterans’ Service to provide help with
social issues such as housing, debt and
relationship difficulties; all of which can
have a negative impact on mental health
and well-being.
Veterans and their families can choose to
refer themselves to the service, or they
can enquire about a referral by speaking
to their local health professional.
North West veterans’ mentalhealth service launched A new service offering mental health support for ex-military personnel in the North West
ContactsFor more information about the service,
visit www.penninecare.nhs.uk/services/
military-veterans
or call 0161 253 6638.
At the official launch: (pictured from left to right) Lt Col Eddy Carter, Commanding Officer
103 Regiment and Garrison Commander Manchester; Flight Lieutenant Martin Falsey; Clinical
Lead Claire Maguire; Principal Psychologist Dr Alan Barrett and Naval Commander for
Northern England and Isle of Man David Pickthall.
“Most people wholeave the armedforces make thetransition to civilianlife without toomuch difficulty butthere are a numberwho struggle toadapt and needhelp”
13Issue 22 December 2011
More than £423,000 has been given to13 bids from across the country to helpfund local projects that increaseunderstanding of, or support for, theArmed Forces in the communities inwhich they live.
EACH project benefits both the Armed
Forces community and the civilian
population. Encouragingly, these bids are
supported by over £250,000 in matched-
funding from bid originators.
The MOD's Community Covenant Grant
Scheme, launched in August, aims to
strengthen the ties between the Armed
Forces and the civilian community.
Bidders from areas which have signed up
to the Community Covenant Scheme can
apply to the grant scheme for funding.
Up to £30 million over four financial years
has been set aside to help fund projects
that promote greater understanding
between the military and civilian
populations.
Since launching the scheme in August, 38
applications have been received from
groups across the country. Some of the
remaining bids are still being considered
by the Community Covenant Grant panel,
if successful, over £1m in funding could
be issued from this first round alone.
Further panels will be held to consider
new bids in December, March 2012 and
thereafter quarterly. The grant scheme
will consider applications for funding
between £100 and £250,000.
The Minister for Defence Personnel,
Welfare and Veterans, Andrew Robathan,
announced some of the first projects to
receive funding at the joint MOD/Local
Government Association Community
Covenant Conference in November; they
include:
• the Dover Jubilee Tattoo has been
awarded £85,000;
• the British Military Tournament has
been awarded £50,000;
• a garden office for a community link
project in Aldershot has received
£22,000;
• £10,000 was given to Royal Wootton
Bassett for the town's civic event to
commemorate the town's new Royal
status;
• £7,000 has been given to the Swan
Forces project in Wiltshire to develop
services to prevent social exclusion
among ex-Service personnel and
their families; and• £6,000 has been provided to help
Gurkhas in Eastleigh to learn English
and integrate with the local
community.
Mr Robathan said:
"These projects will tangibly strengthen
the ties between our Armed Forces and
our local communities. There is already a
deep respect of our Armed Forces on a
national and local level, and these
projects will help to provide a greater
understanding of Service life and enmesh
the ties between military personnel and
the civilian population.
"The relationship between our Armed
Forces and the communities they're
drawn from is as important now as it's
ever been. We are committed to ensuring
that our Armed Forces, veterans and their
families have the support they need and
are treated with the dignity they
deserve."
Sir Merrick Cockell, Chairman of the Local
Government Association, said:
"It's important we ensure that the Armed
Forces community suffers no
disadvantage as a result of their service to
the country. We must recognise the
specific needs which overseas
deployment places on Servicemen and
women, on reservists and on their
dependants. In addition there are
veterans with special needs, whether
these be physical or psychological, that
we must care for to the best of our ability.
"The Community Covenant Fund is a very
welcome step in helping to encourage
new initiatives that build on the already
strong foundation of work carried out by
local government, charities and voluntary
groups to support the Armed Forces and
their families."
First Community CovenantGrants Awarded
ContactsApplication forms and further information
on grant criteria can be downloaded from
the MOD Covenant page:
"These projects will
tangibly strengthen the ties
between our Armed Forces
and our local
communities.”
A Gurkha soldier fields questions from schoolchildren at a biodiversity event on Hythe Ranges. The
Community Covenant Grant Scheme has provided £6,000 to help Gurkhas in Eastleigh learn English and
integrate with the local community
http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/
AboutDefence/WhatWeDo/Personnel/
Welfare/ArmedForcesCovenant/
ArmedForcesCommunityCovenant.htm
“The Community Covenant
Fund is a very welcome
step in helping to encourage
new initiatives . . .”
Pic
ture
: Alla
n H
ou
se, C
row
n C
op
yrig
ht/
MO
D 2
00
5
14
Support to veterans, resident inNorthern Ireland, who formerly servedin the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR)
and the Home Service element of TheRoyal Irish Regiment during OperationBANNER, became a priority four yearsago when the Aftercare Service waslaunched.
NOW, the service is to be continued (and
potentially expanded to help all veterans),
recognising the importance of the service
and supporting the commitment to the
Armed Forces Covenant.
The Ulster Defence Regiment and The
Royal Irish Regiment (Home Service)
Aftercare Service is based at four centres
throughout the Province, staffed by
caseworkers and support staff, some who
are Army veterans themselves. It provides
outreach to the veterans’ community,
advising and sign-posting to other
agencies available to assist veterans in
need. It offers holistic resolution to each
case via:
Welfare - ranging from simple
befriending to full-blown intervention in
issues of bereavement, debt, housing,
benefits and pensions.
Medical - building trusted pathways to
the wider NHS via a client’s GP and also
able to offer immediate referral to
psychological therapies and
physiotherapy for conditions caused by or
made worse by military service.
Vocational - providing career and
employment advice, together with a
discretionary training award for a limited
number of eligible personnel to enhance
their qualifications and employment skills.
Benevolence – assisting in supporting
cases of proven financial need.
A simple intervention
John*, is ex-UDR soldier, discharged in the
1970s as a result of being shot during a
terrorist attack on his patrol. Injuries left
him in continuous pain and he was
required to undergo periodic surgery; the
most recent operation left him
immobilised for eight weeks. During this
time he was informed that he was about
to be made redundant from work.
“My whole future seemed uncertain and a
black cloud hung over me until I heard
about the Aftercare Service and gave
them a ring.”
Caseworkers put him in touch with
Citizens Advice Bureau and he and his
wife joined the Disabled Soldiers Group
for respite activity. As a result of such a
simple intervention, he has learned to
cope, safe in the knowledge that
someone is there for him.
Peter Baillie, The Aftercare Service
Director said:
“We are living in challenging times to
meet potential demand from veterans.
We look forward to the challenge of
delivering the best possible service and
helping people in their time of need.”
*name changed to protect privacy
AftercareBespoke support for veterans in Northern Ireland
“My whole future seemeduncertain and a blackcloud hung over me untilI heard about theAftercare Service andgave them a ring.”
“We look forward to thechallenge of deliveringthe best possible serviceand helping people intheir time of need.”
ContactsTo contact The Aftercare Service
call 028 9042 0145 or visit
www.aftercareservice.org
The Regimental Headquarters in Palace Barracks where the Aftercare Service HQ is based
15Issue 22 December 2011
Glasgow’s Helping Heroes (GHH)provides a one point-of-contact and theservice is free and confidential to servingpersonnel (regular or reserve), veterans,
their families and carers. The eligibilitycriteria are that they must live, work orwish to relocate to within Glasgow City
Council boundary. The GHH projectlaunched in June 2010 and in its first yearreceived 182 referrals for assistance.
CORE FUNDING is provided by Glasgow City
Council, with the service being provided by
SSAFA-Forces Help Glasgow. GHH work
with a range of organisations across health,
housing, social care, employability, financial
services and specialist Armed Forces
agencies. The aim is not to replace existing
services but identify the most appropriate
agencies and enable the client to access the
service as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Clients who do not meet the criteria are
helped to identify the most appropriate
services in their local area and referred on,
for example to the Local Authority’s Armed
Forces Champion, the Armed Services
Advice Project or to Combat Stress.
In addition to their website and helpline,
GHH can offer one-to-one support from staff
who have a mix of ex-Service and
council/housing experience. There is a
drop-in facility at the office based in the
centre of Glasgow but GHH will meet
anywhere that is convenient. Other services
such as the SPVA Veterans Welfare Service
and Regular Forces Employment
Association (RFEA) have also utilised the
office to meet their clients.
In the first year, GHH have helped 49
clients resolve their accommodation
issues, enabled 14 to start work and
realised almost £150,000 of financial
benefits to their clients
David was a veteran who was
referred to GHH by a Royal British
Legion Scotland (RBLS) member.
His father had just passed away and
he had used what money he had
trying to get to Glasgow from the
East Midlands. Having identified
his issues, the local RBLS Branch
gave him a grant which enabled him to buy
a suit and pay for his bus ticket back home.
As his accommodation was in disrepair, he
was referred to his local SSAFA-Forces Help
branch which helped him and applied for
grants which enabled him to make his home
water tight and have running water again.
He was also referred to the local RFEA
advisor, as he was unaware that they could
support his job hunting and to the SPVA
Veterans Welfare Service for a review of his
War pension and a benefits check.
If you know a
veteran planning to relocate
to Glasgow or are already here and needing
help in accessing support on debt, benefits,
jobs, housing and homelessness,
employability, addictions and physical and
mental health, then contact GHH. Referrals
from third parties are welcomed as well -
the staff are waiting to help you.
‘Gateway Model’ aims to improve access to and coordination of
advice and support for the Armed Forces Community in Glasgow
ContactsFor further information:
call 0141 276 7199, visit
www.glasgowshelpingheroes.org
or email
“GHH helped me fill in all
the forms.
I couldn’t do that all myself.
I was clueless. I’m not
being funny but it’s a whole
new world [coming out of
the Army]. I thought you
got Housing Benefit from
the job centre!”
- veteran supported by GHH
Glasgow’s Helping Heroes
GHH provides a drop-in facility at the office based in the centre of Glasgow
16
Contacts
As an Army veteran, it was perhapsinevitable that after completing hispsychology degree and joining theNHS, that Philip Boyes would become
involved with veterans services. Todayhe runs a Veterans Well-being Groupwithin the Improving Access to
Psychological Therapies service of TeesEsk and Wear NHS Foundations Trust(TEWV).
BASED in the North East, it’s one of the
largest mental health and learning
disabilities NHS Trusts in the UK, and is
also a pioneer of veterans’ mental health
services. Philip tells Veterans WORLD how
the group can support veterans adjusting
to civilian life.
“At the time of my joining TEWV,
Consultant Clinical Psychologist Symon
Day had been tasked with the
development of a Community Veterans
Mental Health Service, one of six pilot
services set up by the NHS with support
from the MOD .* The scheme is an
integrated model, instead of a centrally
located veterans’ treatment facility. So
throughout our services, staff have been
trained to work with veterans. The model
ensures that, wherever a veteran enters
our care, a veterans-trained worker, and
mental health specialist in their condition,
will be available to facilitate their journey
through our services.
“Under Symon’s supervision, I developed
the Veterans Well-being Group - an eight
session psycho-education group,
delivered weekly, which uses National
Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
(NICE) approved treatments. The group
consists of six modules - anger,
alcohol/drugs, anxiety, depression
(including sleep problems), managing the
military identity, and employment.
“The subjects of the modules represent
the common presenting problems of
veterans including adjustment disorder.
(Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is treated
individually in one-to-one sessions.)
Adjustment disorder is looked at within
the managing the military identity
module. Informed by Social Psychology,
this module aims to help veterans adjust
to civilian life, by adapting their own
identities in an effort to break down the
barriers to civilian integration.
“A social identity is how you make sense
of yourself, based on the groups you are a
member of. Therefore, a strong ‘army
barmy‘ identity can create barriers by
concentrating on the differences between
soldiers and civilians. This can lead to
avoidance of social situations, low self-
esteem, depression and can create beliefs
such as ’I’m different, they won’t
understand‘.
“Today, the group is delivered by myself
and Donna Dickinson, a Royal Navy
Veteran. Group members have told us
that they felt more comfortable knowing
that we were veterans. However, the aim
of the group is to improve mental health
and assist civilian integration, not to
create a reliance on veteran practitioners.
So, we have to tread a fine line between
encouraging the group to engage with
services and creating a dependency or
perpetuating false beliefs that civilians
are ’different‘.
“Anyone wishing to join the group and
live in our catchment area can refer via
their GP or contact me direct. Other
mental health providers who wish to
replicate the group can contact me to
discuss.”
A social identityWell-being group helps veterans adjust to civilian life
For more information on TEWV visit:
www.tewv.nhs.uk/veterans or call Symon
Day Community Mental Health Service
Lead on 01388 646831 or Phil Boyes by
calling 01325 743246 or email
[email protected] For information on
IAPT visit www.IAPT.nhs.uk
* Community Veterans Mental
Health Service was a winner at the
2009 Military and Civilian Health
Partnership Awards
“the aim of the group is toimprove mental healthand assist civilianintegration, not to createa reliance on veteranpractitioners”
Phil and Donna, veterans themselves, deliver the Veterans Well-being Group
17Issue 22 December 2011
New Programmes aim to help thosemoving from the Armed Forces tocivilian life and veterans reviewing theircareer options.
ROYAL BRITISH LEGION INDUSTRIES (RBLI)
have been working with the Armed Forces
and helping veterans since 1919 and have
developed a wide range of services over
this time, such as housing, healthcare,
social enterprises and veterans training
and recruitment services.
The latest addition to their armoury of
support is LifeWorks and LifeWorks+. The
programmes aim to provide a better
understanding of suitable work options
and how to access them. Health and well-
being, interests, personality and abilities
are also explored, thus ensuring career
choices are realistic and achievable.
Sharon Patmore, RBLI’s Head of
Conditional Management explained:
“LifeWorks can help an individual in a
manner of ways. It has been designed to
increase confidence and motivation,
identify personal strengths and skills, and
find and understand future career options.”
Brigadier Steve Sherry, CEO of Royal British
Legion Industries added:
“The transition from military to civilian life
can be a difficult one and, for many, a little
extra support and guidance is all that is
needed to point them in the right
direction.
“For those that are wounded, injured or
sick, however, the problem is all the more
challenging and I am delighted that we
now have a programme of support which
addresses exactly this issue.”
The programmes have been running for
almost a year now and has been attended
by individuals from all Services and has
been extremely well received by all
participants. Feedback shows that they
feel more positive about their futures…
Martin McCormack recently attended a
course:
”LifeWorks will give you a good
understanding of where to go, what to do
and how to prepare for it all. It helped me
with interview techniques, writing my CV –
everything I needed really. So it’s definitely
worth doing. I’d say you’ve got nothing to
lose and everything to gain from the
course.“
Andrew Hughes, who served with the RAF,
was also impressed by the course:
“It seemed like it would provide me with
the tailored guidance and training I
needed. Once on the course, the advisors
were absolutely brilliant. They can speak
to you on a one-to-one basis. It wasn’t like
a teacher-student relationship at all; it was
more like a friend who has come to rescue
you.”
ContactsFor further information on LifeWorks:
call 0800 319 6844 or email
Which way now?
“It has been designedto increase confidenceand motivation,identify personalstrengths and skills . . .”
The LifeWorks programmes helping veterans consider career options
On the Lifeworks+ course, students have
the benefit of vocational training courses
(CV writing, interview techniques), real
time interview practicing with
professional trainers as well as the
motivational course ‘Coaching for
Change.’
LifeWorks+ students will also have access
to the high quality facilities including
newly refurbished accommodation.
“I’d say you’ve got nothingto lose and everything togain from the course.”
LifeWorks has been designed to increase confidence, motivation
and help identify personal strengths and skills
Veterans receive support to consider
career options
18
Veterans in Birmingham are noweligible for help and support from TheRoyal British Legion’s Poppy Callsservice.
DESIGNED to help members of the
veterans community to remain more
independent in their own homes, Poppy
Calls offers help with those awkward jobs
around the house, such as minor repairs,
or fitting essential devices such as smoke
detectors and carephone alarms.
In 2010, Legion 'Handymen' assisted over
13,000 people in several areas across the
country and the programme was so
successful it has now been expanded into
Birmingham. The Service was officially
launched on July 7, 2011, by the Deputy
Lord Mayor of Birmingham’s Deputy Cllr
Mike Sharpe.
The Legion's County Manager for
Birmingham, Sebastian Hargreaves said:
"4.4 million elderly people in the UK are
eligible for the Legion’s support, meaning
they are ex-Service. Many of these people
find it difficult to maintain the lifestyle
they once did in their own homes and
Poppy Calls enables those people to feel
safe and secure.
“A service like Poppy Calls is great value to
our beneficiaries, especially during
economically testing times. It will go from
strength to strength as it continues to be
rolled out in Birmingham.”
Poppy Calls currently employs nineteen
fitters around the country, with a view to
expanding the service further. All the
fitters have enhanced CRB clearance, carry
Identification, wear a Legion-branded
uniform and drive a Legion-branded van.
Poppy Calls is offered to beneficiaries who
qualify for assistance under The Royal
Charter, which includes those who have
served in the Armed Forces and their
dependents.
Poppy Calls to help the veteranscommunity in BirminghamFree handy-person service for veterans needing help around the home
To be eligible for help, a veteran must have
served in the Armed Forces for at least
seven days, or be the dependant of
someone who has served, and be in receipt
of a means-tested benefit or tax/pension
credit.
Contacts
Further information on the service can
be obtained by calling 0800 032 0306.
Poppy Calls provides trusted handy
persons who carry out a range of small
household repairs and minor
adaptations such as:
“Many of these
people find it
difficult to
maintain the
lifestyle they once
did in their own
homes and Poppy
Calls enables
those people to feel
safe and secure.”
There are nineteen Poppy Calls fitters based around the country and plans to expand the service
The Poppy Calls service can carry out
small household repairs
• Ramps;
• EPV Storage Sheds;
• Replacement taps;
• Lock Replacement;
• Smoke Detectors;
• Grab Rails;
• Door Chains;
• Hand Rails;
• Flat Pack Furniture;
• Carephones; and
• Domestic Electrical Work.
19Issue 22 December 2011
Stoll is a unique community providing
housing and support to some of themost vulnerable ex-Servicemen andwomen. Formerly known as the Sir
Oswald Stoll Foundation, it was founded
in 1916 to house disabled ex-Servicemen injured in the First World
War.
STOLL has evolved considerably since then
and now houses and supports veterans
with a wide variety of support needs from
improving physical health to building
confidence and motivation. Whatever the
difficulty, Stoll are here to support
veterans.
Why is the service needed?
Stoll identified that there are many
veterans in the community living in their
own homes or homeless that need the
support that Stoll currently provide to their
own tenants. With thanks to The Royal
British Legion, The Soldiers Charity and The
RAF Benevolent Fund, Stoll can now
provide support to veterans across London.
The Veterans Support Service works in
partnership with many service charities,
housing providers and statutory agencies
to ensure that all veterans receive the right
help and support they are entitled to.
As part of the service, their needs are
assessed to identify the most effective
interventions and advice needed to help
them to live independently. The support
provided is flexible and personalised,
addresses the challenges faced in civilian
life, clarifies aspirations and goals and
determine effective means of achieving
them.
Veterans in the community can also access
other services provided by Stoll such as: IT
Training, Health and Well-being activities
as well as accessing support from an
Employment and Training Project Officer.
These services provide the wider veterans
community with activities and help that
will promote healthy and happier lifestyles.
Since the Veterans’ Support Service started
in 2010, Stoll has made a difference to over
fifty people’s life, people like George
Higgins . . .
George was a Royal Engineer in the Second
World War, experiencing difficulties. As a
result of Stoll’s intervention, he is now
housed with his own permanent tenancy
and been supported to decorate and
furnish his flat. To ensure he is not socially
isolated, he was encouraged and is now
engaging with a variety of activities in his
local community, such as quizzes and
community meals. He is also now
receiving his full benefit entitlement
including Housing Benefit; and has been
registered with a local GP and receiving
more medical support.
The future
Stoll is committed to reach out to veterans
that need its support and will continue to
develop and promote the service to ensure
veterans can access their help. Stoll will
continue to develop effective relationships
with other ex-Service charities to ensure
veterans get the assistance they need.
Their planned outcomes for the
forthcoming year will see activity double in
almost every area that Stoll presently
cover.
Extending SupportA change in name and a new service – how a charity is evolving to support veterans
ContactsFor further information
call 020 7385 2110
or visit www.stoll.org.uk
Stoll Outreach Support worker Tim Willis-Crowley helping George to set up home
Stoll provides help in the followingways:
• Support to improve physical health
• Support with mental health issues including PTSD
• Support around substance misuse problems
• Improving education
• Help to get back into training and employment
• Support with debt and money management
• Advice on welfare benefits
• Housing advice and support to access housing
• Build confidence and motivation.
20
How many times do you receive atelephone call, open your post or turnon your computer to find you haveunexpectedly won a prize in a prizedraw or lottery, receive a knock at thedoor from an unwanted salesman, orneed advice on money matters,
switching utilities and getting the bestdeals? These can be particularlyconfusing or upsetting for older people.
A community focused consumer
protection campaign funded by Bradford
South Area Committee, being delivered
by West Yorkshire Trading Standards in
the Royds area of Bradford, is aiming to
inform and engage with older residents
and wants to ensure members of the
veterans community are involved.
The innovative project launched in June
and is aimed at raising awareness and
empowering the ward’s older adult
residents with the knowledge and skills to
protect themselves against scammers and
fraudsters, rogue traders, doorstep
criminals and bogus callers.
It will provide opportunities for individuals
and groups to actively participate in
education, training and community
development and will help them to
develop skills, knowledge and experience
to actively protect themselves in their
home and the community.
To build community capacity, the
programme will also include delivering
training sessions to Police Community
Support Officers (PCSOs), Neighbourhood
Wardens, and community workers on
doorstep crime activities, scams and
frauds, providing longer term support
within the community for vulnerable
residents.
The Trading Standards Rapid Response
team will also support the programme,
providing immediate support where
vulnerable residents are involved with
rogue/itinerant traders in their home.
Appropriate enforcement action will be
taken against those tradespeople found to
be operating illegally.
Become a community champion
West Yorkshire Trading Standards is also
looking for community champions to take
part in the project. It is aimed at anybody
with an interest in protecting their
neighbourhood and becoming an active
neighbour. If you are already doing this,
they would like you to come along to
some of their workshops and share your
enthusiasm. Members of the veterans
community are encouraged to join the
project.
Volunteers will be trained as ‘community
champions’ that will be the eyes and ears
of the community alerting Trading
Standards to any localised issues.
Community Partnership Initiativereaches out to older veterans
ContactsFor more information about the
project, contact Suzanne Kitchen on
0113 3939817
or e-mail [email protected]
The campaign aims to inform older people so they can protect themselves in their home and community
Volunteers are wanted to become
‘community champions”
21Issue 22 December 2011
The UK’s leading independentelectrical and renewable energytraining provider, Trade Skills 4U,have announced that their ‘ForgottenHeroes Bursary Scheme’ candidateswill now be able to access financialsupport when they take up the freetraining initiative set up in June 2011.
THE Scheme aims to giveaway £100,000
worth of free training to those who are
struggling to find their feet after leaving
the Forces. This will provide veterans
with practical qualifications in both
electrical and renewable industries to
enable them to carve a new career path
on civvy street.
Since its launch in June, the company are
experiencing a lack of eligible candidates
that have the funds in place to travel to
the centre which is based in Gatwick,
West Sussex.
“We are a national company and have
strong affiliations with the Forces and as
a result eligible candidates from all over
the UK are applying for our bursary.
Unfortunately those who would benefit
most from a scheme such as this are
often facing hardship and have been out
of employment for some time. As a result
we are finding that these candidates are
having trouble covering the costs of
travel or accommodation in order to take
advantage of this free training scheme,”
said Chloe Bennett, Marketing Executive
at Trade Skills 4U.
Thanks to Civvy Street, the Royal British
Legion’s employment support service, a
candidate who is eligible for Legion
support could have access funding to
help support their costs of travel and/or
accommodation as well as other
expenses whilst they train.
“This partnership will bridge this gap and
hopefully enable those most deserving
of the bursary, the financial help to
enable them to take hold of this great
opportunity,” added Miss Bennett.
Trade Skills 4U Bursary candidates will
have the opportunity to train as
domestic installers, electricians and
renewable energy installers and will take
advantage of the company’s first-class
and dedicated training centres.
The first Forgotten Heroes Bursary
Candidate
In 1998, following nine years service as
an RAF Regiment Gunner, Ian Lockie, like
many others, left the Armed Forces in
search of a new challenge. This new
challenge wasn’t without limitations
after Ian, a PTSD sufferer, found there
was a lack of career prospects available
to him. He later found work as a satellite
engineer and then as a bus driver but
was made redundant in January this
year.
Since his redundancy, Ian has struggled
to find work and like many during these
current times, realised he needed to re-
train to get back into employment.
However, the dilemma was what to train
in and how to fund the training?
“Having spent my working life on my
feet, I didn’t warm to the idea of being in
an office situation. I’ve always preferred
hands on work and was keen to seek
training in this sort of area. When my
wife showed me an article of Trade Skills
4U’s Forgotten Heroes bursary in The
Sun newspaper, I knew I had to apply!”
Shortly after applying, Ian was awarded a
place and chose to complete the Solar PV
Installer’s GREEN Package; a 22 day
package that enables a new entrant into
the industry to train as a domestic and
solar PV installer.
After a successful four weeks of training,
Ian, who completed the GREEN package
in July, said
“Trade Skills 4U have been great and I am
very thankful for this opportunity. It was
hard studying again as I haven’t been in
this situation for more than 20 years, but
I have been taught by some fantastic
tutors, who have spurred me on from the
start and made the learning as enjoyable
as possible.
“My favourite bit about the training was
the practical elements in the course. I
really enjoyed getting up there in the
workshops with the guys and building
installations; you really get to see how far
you’ve come. I’ve just finished the course
now, and all my hard work’s paid off! I
can only look forward to the future now,
as I have a new career path to discover.”
The Forgotten Heroes Bursary SchemeTrade Skills 4U team up with Royal British Legion to help retrain ex-Forces personnel
ContactsTo find out more about the
‘Forgotten Heroes Bursary Scheme,’
visit
www.tradeskills4u.co.uk/pages/free-
training To see Ian Lockie’s full case
study and upcoming bursary cases,
visit the TS4U blog at
www.tradeskills4u.co.uk/
pages/tradeskills4u-blog
“. . . I can only lookforward to the futurenow, as I have a newcareer path to discover.”
From left to right: Simon Weston OBE, Ian Lockie, second bursary candidate Golden
Zimmaestro and Carl Bennett, a director at Tradeskills 4U
22
The National Memorial Arboretum Where our Nation remembers
"This memorial is a special place to
honour our loved ones, to reflect with
pride on their ultimate sacrifice, to
remember them and to see others
remembering them."
The Armed Forces Memorial
23Issue 22 December 2011
It is now ten years since the Arboretumfirst opened to the public and there areambitious plans for the future.
THE development of its buildings, to
include much improved educational
facilities and a world renowned
Remembrance Centre, is planned.
An £8 million appeal was launched in
2009 under the patronage of HRH Prince
William for this purpose.
Situated in the heart of the Nation, the
National Memorial Arboretum in
Staffordshire is the UK’s year-round centre
of Remembrance; a spiritually uplifting
place which honours the fallen, recognises
service and sacrifice, and fosters pride in
our country. The Arboretum, which is part
of The Royal British Legion family of
charities, incorporates 150 acres of
wooded parkland and over 200 memorials
representing military and civilian
organisations in addition to many
individual dedications.
It is a beautiful and lasting tribute to those
who serve their country, or who have died
in conflict, and an ideal space in which to
contemplate. While its role is particularly
important for families and colleagues who
have lost loved ones and friends, it also
helps everyone to appreciate what service
and sacrifice for the country can involve.
The focus, however, is not totally military.
There is a large area devoted to Police
who have fallen while on duty, as well as
other areas given over to the Fire and
Rescue and Ambulance services. National
charities that represent those who have
died in particular circumstances, including
children, and people killed in road
incidents, are also to be found in
the Arboretum grounds.
Visitors to the Arboretum, who are from
all walks of life, now number around
300,000. Over 200 special events are held
annually, many of which are attended by
veterans, making it a place of coming
together for a wide variety of shared
purposes and reunions.
One of the best known memorials is the
striking and award winning Armed Forces
Memorial, which commemorates those
who have been killed on duty or as a
result of terrorism since the end of the
Second World War. It is a magnificent
structure in Portland Stone
commemorating nearly 16,000 men and
women of the UK Armed Forces.
Jenny Green OBE was closely involved in
the creation of the Armed Forces
Memorial. Her husband, Group Captain
William Green, was killed in a Tornado
crash in 1990 just before the start of the
Gulf War, and his body was never
recovered. For her, with no grave or
headstone to visit, the Memorial has
enormous significance:
"This memorial is a special place to
honour our loved ones, to reflect with
pride on their ultimate sacrifice, to
remember them and to see others
remembering them."
The Arboretum is open every day of the year
except for Christmas Day.
Veterans’ parade on Millennium Avenue
The Arboretum is open every day of the
year except for Christmas Day. Entry is
free but donations are welcome.
For more information, visit
www.thenma.org.uk.
email [email protected]
or call: 01283 792 333.
Contacts
24
November 2010 marked the opening ofthe first Veterans’ centre of its kind
north of London, in Newcastle upon
Tyne. Norcare secured funding fromThe Royal British Legion to set up thecentre, and to reach out to those whomost need it.
THIS pioneering centre consists of five
residential en-suite bedrooms, kitchen and
communal dining area, communal sitting
room, training room, sound proofed
counselling room and full disabled access.
The Norcare Veterans’ Centre was set up
to help homeless ex-Servicemen and
women across the UK. It offers help to
veterans who have slipped through the
support net and ended up on the streets
or ‘sofa surfing’, suffering problems with
substance misuse and mental ill health.
The Norcare Veterans’ Centre has
residential rooms as well as outreach
facilities providing veterans with a range
of support services including access to
counselling and family liaison services,
accommodation and specialist services
including drug and alcohol rehabilitation.
The centre has been set up in a converted
private house to help residents feel part of
a unit, providing them with the structure
and community that is such a big part of
life in the Forces. Residents are expected
to stay in the centre for between six and
12 months and will have the opportunity
to eat, cook and socialise together.
The outreach service provided from the
centre gives support to other veterans in
the area and is now helping up to 75
veterans a year. Norcare bring in experts
from a variety of other organisations to
provide the range of specialist support
needed to help the veterans. So far the
successes speak for themselves; out of
their first nine veterans, six have moved
on to live independently and three have
gained employment.
In September this year, the Centre
received fantastic publicity in the shape of
a royal visit from The Princess Royal. As
part of her tour of the region, the Princess
took time to speak with some of the
residents and unveil a commemorative
plaque drawn up for her visit. The
Princess spoke in detail to one of the
residents about his harrowing story and
how fitting back into ‘civvy’ life was
extremely difficult.
With a waiting list that’s growing day by
day, Norcare’s challenge is now to meet
this demand by replicating this service in
others parts of the region. Plans are in
place which should lead to the opening of
up to three more centres in the coming
year.
One Year On The Norcare Veterans’ Centre
The outreach
service provided
from the centre
gives support to
other veterans in
the area and is
now helping up to
75 veterans a year.
ContactsFor further information, call 0191 261
2228 or visit www.norcare.co.uk
The centre has been named ‘Brims
House’ after Lieutenant General Robin
Vaughan Brims, a retired British Army
Officer. Lt Gen Brims joined the
British Army in 1970 and has since
spent an illustrious career serving
across the world. Norcare paid
tribute to Robin with this choice of
name, after all the fantastic work he
does as a member of the Board of
Directors at Norcare.
Norcare CEO Susan Bickerton introducing Princess Anne to a veteran supported by the centre
Princess Anne took a tour of the centre and
met residents
25
SPVA News
Issue 22 December 2011
As part of a commitment within theArmed Forces Covenant thewww.veterans-uk.info website isseeking help in developing a newCharity Hub to provide easier access toinformation on organisations thatsupport the veterans community.
THE aim is to be more interactive and
provide a greater amount of detail on the
services individual charities provide. So
the call has gone out to veterans and
Armed Forces charities across the UK to
provide information for the new hub
which is soon to go live.
The site will be providing a dedicated
page for relevant charities wanting to
publicise their services that will include:-
• Background to the service provided;
• What kind of help and advice can be
received;
• Who can get the help and advice; and• Full Contact details.
Karen Awere from the SPVA’s Veterans-UK
website explained:
“Our website currently has on average 40-
50,000 visitors per month and provides a
really valuable and useful tool for reaching
out to the veterans and Armed Forces
community. We are delighted that so
many charities and organisations are
providing us with information but we’d
like to hear from others – and what’s more
it’s totally free.”
Many big names in the charity sector are
already involved . . .
Harvey Tilley, Assistant Director-Welfare at
The Royal British Legion, said:
“As the leading Armed Forces Charity in
the UK, the new Veterans-UK charity portal
will help the Royal British Legion reach
even more people in need. This key
resource for Veterans will enable those
that need help access an extensive and
broad range of support that the Legion
offers.”
Cdr Brian Boxall-Hunt OBE, Chief Executive
of the Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society said:
“Featuring on the new Veterans-UK charity
portal will help the Royal Alfred Seafarers’
Society reach out to even more people in
need. Our care and residential services are
tailored primarily to the needs of seafarers,
including ex-Royal Navy and Army
personnel. It will also help us spread the
word about our specialist dementia care
unit for seafarers, the first of its kind in the
UK. Veterans-UK, as one of the country’s
leading information and support
resources for veterans, is the perfect
platform to help us communicate directly
with our target audience and raise
awareness of what type of help is available
to them.”
How can your charity be included?
If you work for a charity or an organisation
providing support and advice to either the
veterans or Armed Forces community,
then get in touch with your details by
sending an email to
Are you signed up yet?Charities encouraged to raise awareness via new online hub.
“Veterans-UK, as one of the country’sleading information and supportresources for veterans, is the perfectplatform to help us communicatedirectly with our target audience andraise awareness of what type of helpis available to them.”
InformationFor further information on the
Armed Forces Covenant visit
http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/
AboutDefence/WhatWeDo/Personnel/
Welfare/ArmedForcesCovenant/
Editor’s Note: You might be interestedin the latest SPVA podcast where weinterview Karen Awere about the newCharity Hub. The podcast and otherSPVA social media products areavailable to access on the SPVA SocialMedia Hub via the Veterans-UK website,www.veterans-uk.info, and on varioussocial media sites such as iTunes andYouTube. You might also be interestedin the StartHere podcasts launched inOctober.
The front page of the Veterans-UK website. The new charity hub will launch in Winter 2011
“Our website currently has on average40-50,000 visitors per month andprovides a really valuable and usefultool for reaching out to the veteransand Armed Forces community.”
SPVA Staff developing the Hub
The regular feature providing you with updatesfrom the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency
26
Contacts
The Career Transition Partnership (CTP)has launched the new CTP websitewhich has been greatly enhanced tooffer a wealth of assistance and careertools to Service leavers at any stage of
their resettlement, including recentveterans. Even for those who left morethan a few years ago, there is still much
of interest and extensive guides freelyavailable on the site.
FOR those registered with the CTP, the
site includes a number of brilliant new
features which will help them to
achieving great success through their
resettlement with the Career Transition
Partnership. These are an excellent
addition to the services already offered
and make CTP the one stop shop for all of
resettlement needs.
As a CTP client, if they are seeking a job
within two years of being post-discharge,
as well as continuing to have access to a
local Employment Consultant, they will
also continue to enjoy the benefits of
access to RightJob, the job-matching /
job-finding service on the website.
RightJob is now accessed through the
exclusive myPlan section of the website,
through which a client must now log-in to
their own personal area. If a person hasn’t
used RightJob for a while, are still eligible,
and now require a new log-in for myPlan,
they can follow the instructions on the
website to activate their new account.
Veterans support
For those recent veterans who did not
access CTP resettlement services prior to
leaving, they may still be eligible for job
finding assistance. To check eligibility and
find out more, contact the nearest
Regional Resettlement Centre, which can
be found on the website.
For veterans requiring job finding
assistance at any point of their working
life, the Regular Forces Employment
Association (RFEA), along with the
Officers' Association (OA) and Officers’
Association Scotland (OAS), offer support.
NEW WEBSITE FEATURES
myPlan is the new interactive resource
that has tools to use, that will help a
Service Leaver to manage their own
resettlement and career transition.
The personalised area will be customised
to the individual as they complete their
resettlement journey:
Career Assessment Tools Online learning; five self-paced activities
focus on uncovering values, recognizing
past achievements and understanding
how interests and skills combine to create
key strengths.
Personal Resettlement Plan
Career Objective, Training Plan and Action
Steps to log resettlement objectives and
training activities. This online format
facilitates easy updates and review with
an assigned Career Consultant.
CV BuilderIncludes guidance, templates and
examples to assist with creating a CV that
is tailored to the vacancy being applied
for.
Resettlement TrackerCharts progress on the major milestones
of resettlement.
What else Is new?
Resettlement Guides
These new guides offer a wealth of
practical information on the wider aspects
of resettlement such as housing, finance,
health and education, plus more on career
transition.
They include documents to download,
articles, external links to useful sources of
information and checklists to highlight
key action steps.
Improved areas
Homepage
Now integrated into a single page for all
visitors, it is now the one stop shop for
easy access to all information needed for
resettlement.
Courses & Workshops SearchesIntegrated into one easy search area to
find a course or workshop which can be
saved into a shortlist of favourites in the
myPlan area.
Navigation Pods simplify navigation, highlighting key
information and signposting to related
pages.
One stop shop for resettlement needsThe new Career Transition Partnership website
Keep up to date with the latest CTP news
by following us on Twitter @CTPInfo and
Facebook Career Transition Partnership or
visit www.ctp.org.uk
Noticeboard
Recent veterans may be eligible for job finding assistance
27Issue 22 December 2011
The MOD doubled the Council TaxRelief (CTR) for Service personnel oneligible operations overseas from 25 to50 per cent, from July 1, 2011.
Based on the average Council Tax per
dwelling in England, this will amount to
approximately £296 for an average six-
month tour.
CTR has also been extended to include
Operation ELLAMY, the UK element of the
NATO operation in Libya to protect
civilians and enforce United Nations
Security Council Resolution 1973.
The MOD administers a CTR scheme for all
Regular and Reserve Service personnel
serving in qualifying operational locations
overseas (such as Iraq, Afghanistan, and
now including Libya), who either pay or
are counted for Council Tax or Rates for a
property in the UK or the equivalent
contribution if they are in Service Families
Accommodation.
CTR is paid as a tax-free lump sum on
completion of duty, based on the number
of days in the qualifying operational
location. The process of applying for CTR
for those eligible has not changed.
All Service personnel who own or rent a
private property remain liable to pay
Council Tax (or Rates in Northern Ireland)
on their own property to the local
authority.
Those eligible to claim CTR are all Regular
Service personnel, mobilised Reserves
and Full-Time Reserve Service (Full or
Limited Commitment) personnel serving
in operational locations specified by the
MOD who pay Council Tax (or Rates in
Northern Ireland) for a private property or
Contributions in Lieu of Council Tax for
Service Families Accommodation.
Council Tax Relief
StartHere is an online informationservice where you can search forinformation on help and support
services that are available locally or ona national basis. A number oforganisations, including the Service
Personnel and Veterans Agency(SPVA), have been working with theStartHere charity to provide specific
guidance for the Armed ForcesCommunity.
SPLIT over two releases; the first podcast
features presenter Joanne Lowe
interviewing Jane Gammage, Community
Partnerships Manager from StartHere, and
in a second podcast Clare Ellis speaks to
Harvey Tilley, Assistant Director – Welfare
Services for the Royal British Legion to
find out more about this innovative
service.
Jane said:
“Providing access to reliable information
about the services available to them is a
crucial step to help people get the
support to really make a difference to
their lives. This is what StartHere is all
about and we are really pleased to be
able to make that difference to members
of the Armed Forces Community. After
listening to the podcasts, take a look at
www.starthere.org”
The Royal British Legion had been looking
for a trusted online information source to
help their beneficiaries locate
organisations to aid them with challenges
they may face and StartHere fitted the bill.
Harvey added:
“Helping our beneficiaries find and locate
information to help them help themselves
is key to our long term strategy. StartHere
provides quality, trusted information that
is not easily available anywhere else and it
is very easy to use. The Royal British
Legion has received extremely positive
feedback on StartHere and we aim to
build on this as part of our new strategy.”
If you don’t know whereto start…StartHere!SPVA Podcasts focus on online information service
“. . . StartHere
provides quality,
trusted
information that is
not easily available
anywhere else and
it is very easy to
use. “
InformationThe podcast and other SPVA social
media products are available to
access on the SPVA Social Media Hub
via the Veterans-UK website,
www.veterans-uk.info , and on
various social media sites such as
iTunes and YouTube.