Veterans World: Issue 31, March 2014
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Issue 31 March 2014 ® Raising awareness of the range of help and advice available to veterans Ready to take your call at the Veterans UK Helpline 0808 1914 2 18 HELP AND SUPPORT FROM SERVICE PERSONNEL AND VETERANS AGENCY Call the Veterans-UK Helpline: 0808 1914 2 18* Email: [email protected] Web: www.veterans-uk.info Facebook: Service Personnel and Veterans Agency (MOD) Twitter: @SPVAmod * Calls from mobiles may be charged depending on the contract and network provider. ® March 2014 Issue 31 CIN ToHnIS tISeSnUE ts 7 Challenging the hidden wounds 7 Early intervention service for veterans community 20 Normandy 70 MOD announces plans to commemorate 70 th anniversary of Normandy Landings 24 Veteran mentors Shoulder to Shoulder project recruits volunteers 26 Funding support for Scottish veterans LIBOR boost to council partnership Regulars 4-5 News in Brief 25 SPVA News D O M / Front cover: New Veterans UK Helpline number t h 20 g i launched - see page 10 r y p o C The content of Veterans WORLD is provided to raise awareness of n w o help, advice and support available to the veterans community. r C 24 Publication of articles on services provided or developments affecting the veterans community does not mean that they are endorsed by Veterans WORLD or the Ministry of Defence. For advertising opportunities please contact: [email protected] Veterans WORLD is distributed to those who work in an advisory role. Editor: Clare Ellis Email: [email protected] Want to make an editorial contribution? Contributions are most welcome. To raise awareness of an initiative, scheme or organisation that offers help, advice or support to veterans, contact the Editorial Team by email: [email protected] or by calling: 01253 338816 For distribution enquiries Email: [email protected] or call: 01253 338811 For information relating to War Pension/AFCS claims please call our Helpline 0808 1914 2 18 26 © Crown copyright 2014 Issue 31 March 2014 3 News in brief Coach company recruiting for Service leavers Haig Housing All people – whether ex-Service or not From October – are welcome to apply for the roles, but 2013, Haig veterans are eligible for a guaranteed Homes and Haig interview for the roles. Housing Trust Veterans simply need to meet amalgamated minimum criteria including holding a valid and the PCV license and, for safety reasons, living organisation is now known as Haig A Derbyshire coach company is within an hour of the depot. Housing. encouraging veterans to apply for new While a guaranteed interview does Haig Housing is the leading driving vacancies after National Express not automatically mean a guaranteed job, provider of housing assistance for the pledged to guarantee job interviews for it is hoped the chance to be interviewed Service and ex-Service Community Service leavers. professionally with constructive feedback, and is the Strategic Housing Partner Heanor-based YourBus, which gives a valuable leg-up to ex-Service of Help for Heroes. The main focus of operates around a hundred services on personnel, many of whom will not have the Trust is the provision of a range of behalf of National Express, has driving had an interview since joining the Forces. good quality general needs rented vacancies on offer and Driver Training Candidates can apply via the websites property throughout the UK. The Officer Peter Jones is particularly keen for at www.ctp.org.uk , Trust also advises on housing options ex-Service personnel to apply. www.catchyourbus.co.uk , and gives specialist assistance to This follows a groundbreaking or in writing to YourBus, severely wounded and disabled promise made by the UK’s largest coach Heanor Gate Road, Heanor Gate Industrial Service and ex-Service personnel on operator to interview all Service leavers Estate, Heanor, Derbyshire, DE75 7RJ, or adaptations, property purchase and for its driving roles. Earlier this year, telephone 01773 549093. has a Shared Ownership Scheme for National Express became the first those with Armed Forces company in the country to sign the Compensation Funds. government’s Corporate Covenant, a www.haighousing.org.uk commitment to support people who have served in the Armed Forces, put in place New Horticultural to ensure nobody faces disadvantage in civilian life through having served. Therapy Service HighGround, the charity which provides The ReMemBrIn Study departments in the UK as a result of a head land-based career advice and injury. A study in the United States also opportunities for veterans has Veterans are found that 25 per cent of soldiers announced the appointment of Carol invited to take experienced a head injury during their Sales as its first Horticultural Therapist. part in a research Army career. Following this type of injury, a Based at the Defence Medical study on head lot of these people will find that they have Rehabilitation Centre (DMRC) at injuries. long lasting problems with their memory, Headley Court, Carol will provide a Rehabilitation of Memory following Brain affecting their life in a negative way. year-round service to a delegated Injures (ReMemBrIn) is a scientific study The study is comparing a memory caseload of patients with a range of investigating the effectiveness of memory rehabilitation programme with current minor to complex needs. rehabilitation for civilians and military clinical care. It will assess the usefulness of Carol has excellent credentials for personnel with memory problems memory rehabilitation in reducing her new post, having been involved in following traumatic brain injury. The study problems with memory and in addition, horticulture for more than 30 years. She is being coordinated by Dr Roshan das how much it would cost to the NHS to said, “I feel greatly honoured to have Nair (Nottingham University Hospitals NHS provide such a service. The study has been given this role with HighGround Trust) and Professor Nadina Lincoln centres in Nottingham, Leicester, Derby, and I want to see the people I work with (University of Nottingham). Birmingham, Chester and Liverpool. The get really hooked and so absorbed that The study looks to see how much the study is sponsored by Nottingham they want to do more.” rehabilitation programme helps people University Hospitals NHS Trust and is Anna Baker Cresswell, HighGround with memory problems following funded by the National Institute of Health Development Director said, “I am traumatic brain injury and will hopefully Research. thrilled to welcome Carol to the improve treatment for these individuals in HighGround team and can’t wait to get the future. started.” Around six per cent of patients are Any veterans who would like The new role has been made admitted to Accident and Emergency further information can contact possible with funding from ABF the Mrs Sandip Stapleton (Trial Manager) Soldiers’ Charity and the Westminster on 0115 8844930 or Foundation, to provide a Horticultural [email protected] Therapy service for DMRC’s patients. http://www.remembrin.org/ www.highground-uk.org 4 Major new research Crawley veterans benefit from welcome scheme project into military encourages local businesses to display a window sticker showing they are happy charities unveiled to offer a discount, service upgrade or The Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT) is special acknowledgement to military funding the Directory of Social Change personnel on production of an ID card or (DSC) to conduct an independent and veterans’ badge. comprehensive review of the military Crawley’s participation in the scheme charity sector, and to produce an is one of the first actions from its authoritative online Guide to the Military Crawley is backing a national campaign Community Covenant, signed at the Charity Sector. to make sure the Armed Forces Armed Forces Day event in July 2013. There is currently no single Community are given the warmest of Retailers and organisations can give independent source of information on welcomes with the support of local as much or as little support to charities in the UK that cater for serving businesses across the town. Servicemen and women as they’re able, and ex-Service personnel and their The Heroes Welcome scheme aims to be it a discount or simply a warm families – known as the Armed Forces raise awareness of and support for the welcome. Community. The recently published Armed Forces community and highlight Organisations interested in Transition Mapping Study, and other the outstanding contribution they make committing to the scheme should studies, have highlighted a number of to this country. contact Toby Shaw on 01293 438655 or areas where this lack of understanding The initiative first started in email [email protected] causes confusion, affecting policy Scarborough when a few local businesses makers, funders and the charities grouped together in order to offer themselves, as well as those individual visiting Service personnel special members of the Armed Forces discounts. It’s now backed by over 500 Community who are seeking help. businesses in a growing network of The DSC/FiMT Guide will include: a towns and cities across the United breakdown and analysis of money Kingdom. raised; good practice; distribution of The scheme, which officially funding for grant-making versus service launched in Crawley in November, www.crawley.gov.uk/heroeswelcome delivery; types of organisations within the sector; an analysis of geographical distribution of support versus need; Jobs4Reservists and Veterans go live on new performance comparisons with other web site sectors and contact information. www.fim-trust.org/ South East Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Ex-Service personnel or veterans may Association (SERFCA), based in Aldershot, also apply for jobs on the site which is Hampshire, offer support to veterans and free to use for both employers and job- New HQ for SSAFA current members of the Reserve Forces seeking reservists or veterans.