FrontLine Spring 2013

Issue No. 7 April 2013

The ‘Civvy Street’ Issue

In this issue: Redeployment: Back on Civvy Street ◆

How our brave soldiers take on life after discharge and succeed

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Josh Lewsey

Winner of the Rugby World Cup 2003 talks to us about life after the Army

Specialist Employment Consultants ◆

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Read about how your donations are helping soldiers get back into work

Dream Factory Melanie Waters, Chief Executive of The Poppy Factory shares her opinion on what makes transitioning soldiers such valuable employees

FrontLine

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Editor’s Letter, Contents

Editor’s Letter Change is good.

FALL IN’ SKYDIVE FOR THE SOLDIERS’ CHARITY

Jump with the Army’s own Tigers Freefall Parachute Display Team Raise money for the Army’s National Charity Call 020 7811 3960 Email ashort@soldierscharity.org Registered charity No. 1146420, Registered Company No. 07974609 Registered Office: Mountbarrow House, 6-20 Elizabeth Street, London, SW1W 9RB

soldierscharity.org

Yes, it can be daunting stepping into the unknown. Starting a new job. Meeting new people. Finding your place in a whole new culture. But it is also exciting. Challenging.

Life affirming. If you have ever been worried about change in your life, then understand that you are not alone. And there are incredible individuals embracing change with the courage that is typical standard issue of any soldier.

One of our Scottish beneficiaries, Highlander Craig Paterson, is on the cusp of making the biggest change of his life. He put himself in harm’s way. He was doing his duty. And he got injured. Badly. But he has shown remarkable adaptability and strength of character. He has emerged victorious from his rehabilitation. He is on a well-trodden path, transitioning from the Army back onto Civvy Street. If you are looking for inspiration to embrace change, read his story on page 16. I defy you not to feel empowered by it!

Then there are Chris Parrott, Gari Maclean and Neil Heritage. They have all made the successful transition. Now they enjoy a different sort of life, doing very different jobs. They all contribute very special qualities and skills to

society. As soldiers they are trained to work until the job is done. That goes beyond a 9 to 5 attitude. Civvy Street is all the richer for their redeployment. Read about why in our main feature on page 6.

The transition period is hard for every soldier because the Army is a way of life rather than a job. Yet knowing this change will one day come does not deter our brave soldiers. Perhaps because they know that, whatever happens, they can rely on The Soldiers’ Charity.

We have been here for soldiers since 1944.

Our soldiers are still out in Afghanistan.

Right now. They are still in harm’s way.

We promise to be there for every soldier and their family when they need us the most.

That is our duty. And it is only possible because you stand by our side in offering that support. Your donations to our Autumn Appeal left us overwhelmed. Turn to page 5 to see why.

We are very proud of our soldiers. And we are very proud of you. Our supporters. Thank you for your continued commitment. As more soldiers come home wounded, injured and sick, it will be needed more than ever.

Allison Parkes-Norris

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Contents CATERAN TRAIL

Aberdeen

TO SIGN UP NOW OR FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT Glasgow

Edinburgh

www.soldierscharity.org/yomp or call 0845 504 6616

01 Editor’s Letter

6 Redeployment: Back on Civvy Street

18 Opinion: Melanie Waters

Transitioning from the Army back to Civvy Street

Three remarkable former soldiers tell us about their successful transition

The Chief Executive of The Poppy Factory shares her thoughts with us

02 Dates for your Diary

10 On the Frontline

20 Interview: Major Charles Dumphie

Find an event happening near you

03 CE’s Message, Welfare Update

A word from our Chief Executive and an update of how we have given support from 1st April - 31st Dec 2012

12 A Day in the Life of a Specialist Employment Consultant

04 News

Catch up on some of our latest headlines from across the Charity

The Alliance Trust Cateran Yomp is sponsored by the Alliance Trust PLC and is developed and run by Wildfox Events which specialises in organising fundraising events across the UK. ABF The Soldiers’ Charity is a registered charity in England and Wales (1146420) Scottish registered charity No. SC039189. The Prince’s Trust is a registered charity, incorporated by Royal Charter, in England and Wales (1079675) and Scotland (SCO41198)

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Find out why your support of our Autumn Appeal was so overwhelming

Read about how our grants make such a difference in helping soldiers back in to work on Civvy Street

The new Regional Director for the Scottish Region talks exclusively to us about his new role

21 Interview: Josh Lewsey

Rugby World Cup star Josh Lewsey talks to us about life after the Army

14 British Military Tournament 2012 Review

22 Online update & highlights

05 Appeals Update

An image from recent Army operations

See for yourself why this year’s celebration was the best yet!

Find out about our award-winning online campaigns and how you can get involved

16 Scotland The Brave

24 Ways to Donate

Craig Paterson talks to us about his impending medical discharge and preparing for Civvy Street

11 easy ways to show your support

FrontLine

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FrontLine

Imprint, Dates for your diary

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Chief Executive’s Message, FrontLine Welfare Update

Dates for your Diary: April – October 2013

Image by Harland Quarrington © Crown Copyright / MoD 2006

FrontLine Issue No. 7 April 2013

April

July

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Walk With Heroes!

Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow

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Beating Retreat Greyshott Park Hindhead

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Buxton Military Tattoo 2013 The Devonshire Dome, Buxton Beating Retreat & Reception Pashley Manor, Kent Border Paras’ 10 (Colchester) Colchester Aldershot Army Show Queens Road, Aldershot The Mikado Wintershill Hall, Durley

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Summer Lunch and Opera Hermitage Barracks, Berkshire

May

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Belfast Marathon Belfast

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Thirsk Race Night Thirsk Racecourse, North Yorkshire Stoke on Trent Military Tattoo King’s Hall, Stoke on Trent

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Royal Yacht Squadron Big Curry Cowes, Isle of Wight Sounding Retreat St Cross Cricket Ground, Winchester

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Skydive Netheravon Airfield, Wiltshire

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Stonehenge Tour & Talk Stonehenge

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2013 Arnhem Battlefield Tour Thiepval Barracks, Northern Ireland

21–25 RHS Chelsea Flower Show - Charity Collection

The Royal Hospital Chelsea, London 22–23 Spring Fair (Preview Evening & Day)

Tennants Auctioneers, Leyburn

Editor

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Ladybridge Park Club Ladybridge Park Club, Cheadle The Maypole Charity Ball Stratford Armouries, Stratford

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Edinburgh Marathon Edinburgh

Stephen Steele

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BUPA 10k London

Special Thanks

29-30 Stafford County Show – Charity Collection and Marquee

Stafford

Allison Parkes-Norris

Contributors Paul Cummings Kirsty Irvine

Lorna Fitzpatrick Melanie Waters Josh Lewsey

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Little Bentley Garden Show Gala Evening Bentley Manor, Little Bentley

June

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The Big One - Charity Abseil 525 Ocean Boulevard, Blackpool Pleasure Beach

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Bedfordshire Main Event Bedford School, Bedfordshire East Anglia D-Day Memorial Ride Merville Barracks/Whitehouse Farm, East Anglia

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Raisethorpe Charity Shoot Malton, North Yorkshire

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Military Heroes Night Owlerton Stadium, Sheffield

Printed by

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The Colourhouse

Charity Ball Leighton Buzzard Rugby Club Summer Reception - Woodhall Spa Band of The Parachute Regt Petwood Hotel, Lincolnshire

Design and Art Direction Pete Black Ltd

Guest Photography P12-13 Fenella Mett P14-15 Sampson Lloyd P16-18, P20 Malcolm Cochrane

Illustrations James Graham

Chief Executive’s Message

For more information please visit our online events calendar at soldierscharity.org/events

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Armed Forces Day Concert Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham

14-20 ULTRA 6 Challenge – World Record Attempt

Lands End- John O’Groats 25

This has been an area of particular growth in demand over the year as wounded personnel begin to emerge from at least the first stage of their recovery or others go through the challenge of unanticipated redundancy.

The nature of much of this need will have remained largely unchanged since the Charity’s inception in 1944, as will the remarkable determination of many to overcome their difficulties with the aid of a timely ‘hand up’ from the Charity.

As ever, ABF The Soldiers’ Charity stands ready to help wherever it can, as demonstrated by the 14% rise in individual cases we have supported this year.

What perhaps is new, is the increasing challenge of ‘transition’ as serving personnel with particular difficulties need additional help as they move back into civilian life.

Tatton Flower Show – Charity Collection Tatton Park, Cheshire

August

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Catterick Race Day Catterick Royal Wootton Bassett (RWB) Challenge 2013 Royal Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire

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Beating Retreat Hillsborough

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Daredevil Diamond Descent Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth

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Beating Retreat, Reception & Supper Chatsworth County Fair

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Glengoyne Golf Day & Gala Dinner The Fairmont, St Andrews

September

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Ball at The Grange The Grange Arlesford, Hants

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Paras’ 10 (Catterick) Catterick, North Yorkshire

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Beating Retreat & Concert Thursford Collection, Fakenham

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Beating Retreat & Reception Oakham Market Place & Castle Big Curry Event Richmond Centre, North East

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Southport Airshow – Charity Collection Liverpool

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The Soldiers’ Charity Ride Stanbridge, Bedfordshire Great North Run Newcastle

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The Band of The Coldstream Guards Concert St Wulfram’s Church, Grantham Salute Our Heroes, Gateshead The Sage, Gateshead

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Colchester Military Musical Spectacular Castle Park, Colchester

Our Grants and Welfare team work tirelessly to ensure the Charity helps as many members of the Army family as possible in their time of need. Here is an update on how we have given support during the first three financial quarters of 2012 (1st April – 31st Dec 2012). You can see how every penny we receive from our supporters goes to help soldiers, former soldiers and their families.

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Total Value of Grants £5,344,654 4,125 Grants to Individuals totaling £3,600,444 62 Grants to Charities totalling £1,744,208 14% rise in Individual Cases we have supported

Breaking it Down: Cost by Purpose Here is a breakdown of the different areas in which our grants have helped the Army family, over the same period.

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Revision Cadet Challenge Nationwide Ironman Triathlon Rutland Water - Leicestershire

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Early Early Christmas Fair 2013 Tedworth House, Wiltshire

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Loch Ness Marathon Fort Augustus, Scotland

W soldierscharity.org

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Beating Retreat Gordons School, Surrey

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Salute The British Soldier Sherborne Abbey, Dorest

FrontLine Issue No. 7

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Preston Military Show Fulwood Barracks, Preston

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Stoke Rochford Hall 10k Run Stoke Rochford, Lincolnshire

October

35% Home (£712,276)

© ABF The Soldiers’ Charity

Beating Retreat at Crix Crix, Chelmsford

Autumn Fair Woodbridge Community Hall, Ipswich

14% Mobility (£403,142)

Whilst every effort is made to check

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Red, White and Blue Day Schools nationwide

7% Training/ Education/ Employment (£383,931)

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Golf Tournament Blairgowrie Golf Course, Scotland

3% Hardship (£784,771)

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3 Royal School of Military Engineering Premier Long Ride Nationwide

Mountbarrow House 6-20 Elizabeth Street London SW1W 9RB T 020 7901 8900 F 020 7901 8901 E info@soldierscharity.org

First published 2013

the information contained in FrontLine, ABF The Soldiers’ Charity cannot accept responsibility for errors or omissions.

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We are very grateful to you all.

FrontLine Welfare Update

Registered Office:

We can only do this because of the exceptional efforts of our volunteers, spread across the UK and elsewhere and of course those generous donors who are prepared to give to the Charity.

Martin Rutledge Chief Executive of ABF The Soldiers’ Charity

Band Concert; Pipes & Drums of The Scots Guards Association East Cheshire Cateran Yomp Highland Perthshire Summer Fair – RMAS Heritage Day RMAS Sandhurst

ABF The Soldiers’ Charity

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10-11 The Soldiers’ Charity Tennis Competition

Lisburn Racquets Club

This spring edition of FrontLine captures well the sheer variety of needs amongst serving personnel, veterans young and old and their dependants - and the support provided by ABF The Soldiers’ Charity in all its forms.

Partnerships

The Poppy Factory

We know just how tough the transition period from Army life to civilian life is for our soldiers. They face many challenges and obstacles on their path to successful resettlement and we have been busy building strong relationships with other charities to ensure that they are supported, whatever their need.

By working in partnership with likeminded organisations, together we are able to provide a bespoke service, tailored to helping each individual case. Here are some of the charities that we have given funding and grants to, in order to reach as many soldiers as possible to help make the transition to civilian life as smooth as possible.

We have agreed to give an annual grant of £56,000 with a commitment for three years to support the identification of individuals needing training that will result in them finding full-time employment. Turn to page 18 to read FrontLine’s opinion piece by Melanie Waters, CEO of The Poppy Factory.

Regular Forces Employment Association (RFEA) We gave a grant of £238,000 to support regionally-based Employment Consultants and a Central Employment Help-desk to provide a robust job finding service.

Royal British Legion Industries (LifeWorks)

33% Personal (71,500)

5% Care Home (£279,638) 3% Holiday (122,504)

Total: £2,757,763

We regularly give grants to individuals for vocational assessments and career advice to help them find employment at a cost of £1,500 per individual. Similar schemes are being developed with organisations such as: Remploy; On Course Foundation; Finchale College (Durham); Queen Elizabeth Foundation (Leatherhead); Portland College (Mansfield) and St Loye’s (Exeter).

Individual Recovery Programme £720,000 has been spent on grants to support 413 cases relating to the personal development and training of wounded, injured and sick personnel.

Personal Recovery Unit We currently fund 14.5 Special Employment Consultants who advise and prepare wounded, injured and sick soldiers for employment. They assist them in identifying suitable vacancies and then support the individuals through the recruitment process and beyond, in order to secure sustainable employment. The overall cost to the Charity for the delivery of this initiative over the period 2011-2015 will be £2.3m. To date this has resulted in: ◆ 459 individuals receiving help from Special Employment Consultants ◆ 203 individuals finding work experience ◆ 94 individuals finding full-time employment

You can read more about the role of our Specialist Employment Consultants on pages 12.

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FrontLine

News

Mothers’ Day is not usually a very happy occasion for the Gibbons family but this year Radio 1 DJ Sara Cox and her mother Jackie joined them to help make the day special for the right reasons. Luxury jewellery company Pandora hosted an intimate gifting event at its London Headquarters for Army mother and daughter duo Kim & Hannah Gibbons to celebrate Pandora’s Soldiers’ Charity British Rose charm.

Kim had to give up her job to look after her husband Martyn when he was seriously injured by an RPG (Rocket Propelled Grenade) in Afghanistan but she wanted to retrain as a nurse. The Soldiers’ Charity paid her college course fees enabling her to realise her dream. While creating her own unique Pandora bracelet Kim told us: “Not only is the British Rose charm beautiful, it means so much given everything the Charity did for our family. It represents support. The Charity has been incredibly good to Martyn but it’s also the first Charity that’s noticed that I exist.”

“It makes such a nice change to have a treat around Mothers’ Day as it’s usually a difficult time for me; my baby boy died on Mothers’ Day, and then two years later Martyn was blown up the day after. It’s also my birthday the day before, but the sadness from these past events has a big impact on it, however I now have happy memories from today.”

Daughter Hannah currently serves with The Royal Signals in Dorset and was keen to add the British Rose to her bracelet, saying: “As a serving soldier the charm, which supports the Army’s Charity, represents me.”

Andy and Claire Reid celebrate the arrival of their first child Life is going from strength to strength for our ambassadors Andy Reid and his wife Claire as November 30th saw the birth of their first child, William. The couple couldn’t be more thrilled with his arrival, as Andy explained: “Obviously there was a time when I wasn’t sure what the future had in store for us; I was just concentrating on my recovery and not too much else.

Christmas comes early for The Soldiers’ Charity 2012’s Early Early Christmas Fair was an extraordinary success as record breaking numbers of visitors made the trip to the beautiful grounds of Tedworth House.

With nearly 100 stalls selling an array of merchandise, shoppers were spoilt for choice and snapped up presents for their 04

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Image by Ed Lloyd Owen

Sara Cox joins The Soldiers’ Charity in honouring Mothers’ Day!

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News, Star Supporter, Appeals Update

Digging deep and digging in: extra helpings at the Madjeski Stadium It was knives and forks at the ready this February as curry fever hit the Madjeski Stadium. Over 300 people came together for the third Big Curry event at Reading Football Club’s home ground, which saw supporters digging in and digging deep in aid of The Soldiers’ Charity.

Sir John Madejski, Chairman of Reading FC and Reading’s Mayor and Councillor Jenny Rynn attended on the day as well as representatives from military units in Arborfield, Hermitage and Sandhurst.

Also invited were soldiers from Aldershot Personnel Recovery Unit who mingled

Star Supporter – Harry King

Sara Cox took the opportunity to reiterate why she was showing her support: “These people have given themselves in service but if injured it affects the whole family. What’s brilliant about the Charity is that it provides such a broad spectrum of support to so many people, whether it’s Army children or veterans the Charity will always step in.”

15% of the retail price of the British Rose charm will be donated to The Soldiers’ Charity, up to a value of £100,000.

“Having our beautiful little boy has brought us so much happiness. I really enjoy giving him cuddles and feeding times, although I try to get out of changing as many nappies as possible!”

Andy also recently launched his book “Standing Tall”, detailing his time serving in the Army with the 3rd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment and the severe injuries he received from an IED whilst serving in Afghanistan.

We wish Andy and Claire all the best in this exciting new chapter in their future together as a family.

family and friends, all in support of The Soldiers’ Charity. Over 1,400 visitors attended on the Wednesday of the event alone, which helped organisers raise over £26,000 for the Charity.

A big thank you goes to Caroline Cary, the Fair Organiser, and all the volunteers involved at Wiltshire County Committee.

This year’s event will be held on 25th September so be sure to put this fantastic day out in your diary.

At The Soldiers’ Charity we really value the amazing gifts our supporters provide and we love reading the personal responses to some of our appeals. Someone who typifies how generous our supporters really are is ten year old Harry King, who sent in £21 of his saved up pocket money earlier this year.

Harry attended the British Military Tournament two years ago with his mother and had an incredible time. When asked

The charm retails for £4o.

Why not show your support today by buying the charm for a loved one?

Don’t forget to leave a message of support on our partnership microsite: pandora.net/en-gb/explore/ campaigns/UK/abf

with supporters and loyal event sponsors.

Excellent entertainment was provided by a quintet from The Band of the Army Air Corps.

The afternoon was a great success with a staggering £12,500 raised for the Charity!

A big thank you to Brigadier Peter Walker and the Berkshire Committee who organised this fantastic event.

For more information on hosting your own Big Curry event visit bigcurry.org or Email: bigcurry@soldierscharity.org

or call the team for a friendly chat on; 020 7811 3960

which charity he wished to donate his pocket money savings to last Christmas he chose The Soldiers’ Charity. This was because he had heard about the Charity’s good work and remembered the fun day out he had at the British Military Tournament.

Harry has been giving to charities for the last five years and he would like to fly aeroplanes when he is older. A massive thanks to Harry and our many supporters like him who make the help we provide to soldiers and their families possible.

FrontLine Appeals Update Our soldiers are still putting themselves in harm’s way in Afghanistan. They are still there, right now, doing their duty for us. You have not forgotten them and we are so proud of the support you have shown soldiers like Mark Harding in our Autumn Appeal.

Mark Harding was left paralysed in 2010 after a bullet passed through his neck whilst serving as a Lance Corporal in 1st Battalion Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment in the Nadi-Ali district. In the Autumn Appeal he spoke to supporters about the help The Soldiers’ Charity had provided him. We contributed towards his home adaptations and a specialist wheelchair that allowed him to live as independently as possible.

Mark asked supporters to donate to The Soldiers’ Charity so we could help ensure other soldiers remain independent in their lives. He asked for your commitment and you nobly answered that call. In response to this appeal you gave a phenomenal £166,986.50 which wholly exceeded our expectations. We are so grateful for your overwhelming support.

In the coming year soldiers will continue to return home injured. Many will be faced with the challenges of resettlement back on Civvy Street. The Soldiers’ Charity is dedicated to providing never ending support to our soldiers and their families for as long as they need us. We want to support

them every step of the way. Donations from you in our appeals allow us to do just that. So thank you once again for your unwavering support, it truly is invaluable and a unique gift.

Text ARMY5 to 70004 to donate £3.

Increase your donation by texting ARMY5 £5 OR ARMY5 £10 *

‘we were out on a routine patrol when we that the loca noticed ls had started to move away from us – we sudd enly had the feeling that something was about to kick off. ’ Lance Corporal Mark Harding on active duty in Afghanistan

* Text costs your donation amount plus network charge. ABF The Soldiers’ Charity receives 100% of your donation.

Obtain bill payers permission. Customer care 08448479800. ABF The Soldiers’ Charity is a registered charity in England and Wales (1146420) and in Scotland (SC039189). Registered as a company limited by guarantee in England and Wales (07974609).

Image courtesy of The Reading Post

FrontLine

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Main Feature: Redeployment: Back on Civvy Street

Redeployment: Back on Civvy Street The pressures of finding a new job, providing for your family and adapting to a whole new way of life are just a few of the major issues that surround the transition from Army to civilian life for many soldiers.

With the additional challenge of being wounded, injured or sick, making a successful transition can often seem an impossible task.

But our soldiers are strong of character and spirit. They do not simply give up when things get tough.

Meet three former soldiers who, with a little help from The Soldiers’ Charity, have made positive transitions and carved out promising new careers for themselves on Civvy Street.

Chris Parrott “... I know what it’s like to think it’s the end of the world and have no hope. But there are people out there to help you, like your family or like The Soldiers’ Charity, I guarantee that.”

Chris is a former soldier from Derbyshire who was injured twice while serving with 2nd Battalion The Mercian Regiment on two separate tours of Afghanistan. The first incident was on his first operational tour in 2007. He was just 18 years old. A bullet shattered his leg in a battle that claimed the lives of two of his friends. On his second tour in 2009, he suffered a serious head injury when fragments of a grenade entered his head through a gap between his helmet and glasses. As a result Chris was diagnosed with epilepsy and was medically discharged in 2011.

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Nottingham to help him prepare for his discharge.

“I only had a few GCSEs so the courses helped me to prepare my CV and look for jobs. I quickly realised I didn’t want to be stuck in an office job.”

Whilst on one of the courses, Chris spoke to a staff member who suggested that he explore a career in gardening and horticulture. “I liked the sound of it as it meant I could be outdoors, and do more physical activity which is what I craved.”

Chris told us how frustrating that time was for him. “I spent a couple of months in hospital and couldn’t go back to the Battalion, I was only 21 and so bored. When I was formally told that I was going to be discharged I was absolutely gutted. I was really angry at first and took it out on my family which wasn’t fair because it wasn’t their fault. But I started to focus on my personal fitness which helped take my mind off things while it sunk in.”

Chris started a Horticulture Course which was administered using Individual Recovery Plan resources. This fund also paid for the purchase of essential items for his course including clothing, safety equipment and travel. “I’m now in my final year and will complete the course in June 2013 and hopefully have a Diploma in Horticulture. I’ve really enjoyed it as most days I’m outside doing things like landscaping or building walls. That’s my favourite part as it involves heavy lifting and is a very physical job that I’m well suited to.”

Chris went on a number of courses arranged through the Personnel Recovery Unit in

So how will Chris turn his qualification into his dream job? “The next step is to try and

secure an apprenticeship with a local landscaping company. Hopefully they’ll look at my qualification and see that I’m willing to learn; I’ve gone out, got the skills and am serious about a career in landscaping. I now feel quite positive. Yes, I still really miss my mates but I am looking forward to the future and becoming a landscape architect.”

What advice would Chris give other soldiers going through similar challenges? “You will feel angry but just have the faith that it does get better. I know what it’s like to think it’s the end of the world and have no hope. But there are people out there to help you, like your family or like The Soldiers’ Charity, I guarantee that.

“The Soldiers’ Charity helped me out massively through this funding. They’ve sorted out everything from the kit I’ve needed to the bus fare to travel to the course which is a huge help as without them I would really have struggled. I hope to get a job in this sector so I can carry on doing something that I’ve started to love.

People should fundamentally support The Soldiers’ Charity because if they didn’t exist, soldiers like me would be in a mess.”

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Main Feature: Redeployment: Back on Civvy Street

Neil Heritage “... Speaking from my own experience it’s a real comfort to know that there are people like The Soldiers’ Charity who care, who understand and are willing to give people like me the help needed to get ourselves going again.”

Neil served for over 10 years in The Royal Signals, Electronic Counter Measures team.

In November 2004 while on tour in Iraq, he was critically injured when a suicide bomber detonated a device a few feet away from him. As a result of the blast Neil lost both legs and was told that he would never walk again. Since then, Neil has left the Army and defied all expectations. He learned to walk on prosthetic limbs and is now a boot camp fitness coach. Last year he rowed 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean with other injured soldiers, as part of the epic Row2Recovery challenge. The team have raised nearly £1 million for Service charities, including The Soldiers’ Charity.

Neil understood from a young age that he wanted a fulfilling career. “I joined the Army at 16 years old because I wanted to travel and do something active, but also to learn a trade that would enable me to have a career afterwards. I knew the Army would allow me to undertake a lot of training and gain a number of qualifications.”

Neil’s first tour in Iraq was in 2004 but it was on his second tour that he was injured. “It happened just outside of Camp Dogwood.

I was working on clearing a route [of IEDs] when I was blown up by a suicide

bomber. I remember being aware that my legs had gone, but at the time, was more concerned that I was on fire.” Neil was the first British double amputee from attacks in Iraq or Afghanistan. At that time, no one else had lost two legs above the knee, as a result of these conflicts.

“It was just all so negative trying to come to terms with such a new reality. For example, I had to use a wheel chair which was especially tough as it impeded my ability to fully interact with my two young children.”

The Soldiers’ Charity provided funds towards the cost of car adaptations, enabling Neil to get driving again just six months after he was injured. “It was really wonderful to be back on the road and at the controls for the first time since my injury in Iraq. Getting my independence back was such a massive boost as I could now drive myself to work or to the shops to pick up things for my family.” The Charity then made another grant in 2009 to help pay for a new driveway at Neil’s family home, making it more accessible while he was using a wheelchair.

Eventually Neil got the new ‘C-Leg’ prosthetics and with much determination, taught himself to walk again. His next challenge was finding a new career.

“After my discharge I spent a year doing a financial advisory course and thought I’d pursue that line of work but soon realised

it wasn’t for me. It was a pushy sales job that just didn’t suit me. It was a confusing time; this was a situation that I never thought I would find myself in.”

Finally Neil discovered he could build a career in the physical education industry and started coaching at a local school, part-time. “I really enjoyed it, I wasn’t stuck behind a desk and was doing something practical and active.” This then developed into an opportunity to undertake a job at a boot camp centre, as a fitness coach for adults, which is what he currently still does. “Its hard work but I really like it; I meet so many different people and my job is to help them progress and make positive changes in their lives.”

Neil has continuously pushed himself to succeed in some amazing feats, such as the Row2Recovery challenge and is thoroughly enjoying his everdeveloping career on Civvy Street. But he still remembers the difficult times too: “Speaking from my own experience, it’s a real comfort to know that there are people like The Soldiers’ Charity who care, who understand and are willing to give people like me the help needed to get ourselves going again. It’s important to support The Soldiers’ Charity as it provides somewhere to turn to if soldiers are having a rough time and need help. They make a massive difference.”

Gari McLean “... The initial elation of being alive mixed with the sheer horror of what had happened to me was such a strange experience... Knowing that The Soldiers’ Charity were supporting me, showed me that people outside of the system really do care.”

Gari was a 22-year old Officer Cadet at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst when he experienced a severe parachute malfunction on exercise. As a result he fell 400ft to the ground breaking his legs, left arm and every bone in his head except his nose.

He spent two weeks in a coma and a further four weeks in hospital. He shared his feelings about that time with us. “When I woke up, I knew what had happened but the coma was like having been in a permanent nightmare.

Subsequently I couldn’t really sleep and was having flashbacks. The initial elation of being alive mixed with the sheer horror of what had happened to me was such a strange experience.”

Gaining access to the family home after leaving hospital was a problem due to its location on a hill.

However an immediate grant from The Soldiers’ Charity enabled a ramp to be fitted outside the front door as well as a whole new access route created for Gari. This essential work allowed him to be in the familiar surroundings of his family home whilst still undergoing rehabilitation, instead of facing many more weeks or months in hospital.

“Knowing that The Soldiers’ Charity were supporting me, showed me that people outside of the system really do care.” Gari focused on his rehabilitation and, incredibly, within five months was walking independently and weight

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training in the gym; an amazing achievement considering the extent of his injuries from the accident.

In November 2009 Gari was formally discharged from the Army. “I didn’t know where to go or what to do. It took me some time to work out my next move.” However Gari had always had a passion for politics so he took up a voluntary position working for a local MP during the General Election in early 2010.

Buoyed by this experience, Gari then went on to volunteer as a team leader on a conservation project in Nevada, USA. This was a great opportunity to use the skills he had honed in the Army. “Being in the US was really good for my rehabilitation but I soon had to return to the UK for further hospital treatment.”

After more treatment, Gari moved to London and,

by September 2011, started his Master’s degree in History at King’s College, London. He specialised in the American Civil War and World War I. “This was when I felt myself getting better and going from strength to strength. Going to university in London was great as it helped me find ways of working around the effects of my head injury, especially my impaired memory and the speed of my thinking.

University was a good introduction back to the world of work.”

So now that Gari has graduated with his Master’s degree, what career would he like to embark on? “I love politics and my dream job would be to work in Westminster, ideally in a one-to-one situation with an MP or Lord. Achieving my degree has built my confidence and I’ve proved to myself that I can go out there and succeed in the goals I set myself.

“I’m 28 years old now and I want to put a book-end on that part of my life. I know it sounds clichéd but I just want to start a new chapter in my life.

“I can’t thank my parents enough, the people who put things back together for me. My family, friends and support network and charities like The Soldiers’ Charity who helped make my rehabilitation all the easier when I needed help the most. If I hadn’t received that vital support really early on, I don’t know whether I would have made such a remarkable recovery and be standing where I am today. It certainly would have been a lot more difficult.”

In a typical display of soldierly courage Gari maintains his strength of character to this day.

“I could see points where I could have got depressed but I kept myself strong, determined and hard working. I survived this so I can survive anything life throws at me now on Civvy Street.”

FrontLine

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On the FrontLine

On the FrontLine This image from Army operations in Afghanistan reveals the reality of the current conflict. Our soldiers are still doing their duty.

They are on the FrontLine right now, putting themselves in harm’s way.

They’re still coming home injured. They still need your help.

When you volunteer your time or give a donation to ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, you avow your comradery. You too are fighting for them on your own FrontLine.

Will you support them today?

Image by POA(Phot) Sean Clee. © Crown Copyright / MoD 10

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Feature: A Day in the Life of a Specialist Employment Consultant

All images by Fenella Mett

FrontLine

A Day in the Life of a Specialist Employment Consultant Lorna Fitzpatrick is a Specialist Employment Consultant (SEC) based within Jellalabad Barracks, Tidworth, Wiltshire. Her job is to offer employment support to soldiers who are wounded, injured or sick and very likely to be medically discharged as a result. The Soldiers’ Charity finances the operation of 14.5 SECs like Lorna. FrontLine speaks with her to find out how this grant is making such a vital difference to soldiers making the transition from Army life to civilian life.

Lorna begins by telling us exactly what a Specialist Employment Consultant (SEC) is: “Essentially my job is to help soldiers prepare for and start their new civilian careers. We are all employed by the Regular Forces Employment Association (RFEA) and most of us are financed by a grant from The Soldiers’ Charity. It’s a genuine example of two organisations working in partnership to provide a vital support service. We aim to give wounded soldiers the best chance of finding employment for life. SECs come under the umbrella of the Recovery Careers Services and are located in Personnel Recovery Units around the UK.” Lorna helps those wounded, injured and sick individuals who have been identified as having significant barriers to employment or who are considered to be especially vulnerable. Everyone who is going to be medically discharged from the military is entitled to the full Resettlement Package delivered by the Career Transition Partnership.

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However some servicemen and women, by the very nature of their illness or injury, need a little bit of extra help in utilising the resettlement tools available to them. “Some soldiers want to try out an industry before they commit funds and time to a course. Others want to build up relevant experience to put on their CV and secure an industry related referee, as well as use the opportunity to network and access the hidden job market.”

We ask Lorna what a typical day at work is like for her. “Every day working as an SEC is different because no two injured soldiers follow the same recovery pathway. Also no two offers of employment opportunities are the same because we engage with a wide range of businesses. Anything from big national corporations with thousands of employees, right through to small local businesses who would like to employ a wounded soldier but are not sure how best to go about it.

“A typical day might involve meeting with a local employer to explain how they could get involved and support soldiers with activities such as industry visits, CV advice, networking opportunities and mock interviews. There is also the longer term Recovery Work Attachment scheme, where the soldier spends time with a company and is essentially treated like one of their employees. This allows them to build up vital skills and practical experience in the work place.

“My working day will usually also involve a meeting with a Recovery Officer to find out which soldiers are ready to start engaging and looking at work attachments. By the time I meet with a soldier they will already have had a vocational assessment and will have an idea of the sort of industry sector in which they would like to be involved.”

Sometimes Lorna is asked to engage with a soldier who does not know what they want to do and has difficulty thinking about their future employment.

“It’s my job to get them to investigate their future options which can be very challenging for the individual.

“The transition is hard for everyone as the Army is a way of life rather than a job. It’s about family, housing and fitting into a new community. It’s even about giving up the uniform and having to wear different clothes.

Starting unfamiliar employment with a new employer in a different culture is tough.

Managing an injury or illness on top of that can be even more daunting. As an SEC it’s my job to help make the employment piece a little smoother before a soldier’s discharge date.

It’s one less thing they have to worry about.”

seemed to resonate with my own personal values. I especially like the one-on-one emphasis of the role and I particularly enjoy being back in a military environment again.”

Although the job is often fraught with challenging times, there are many success stories that Lorna remembers fondly. “I was working with a very anxious soldier who was within a couple of weeks of his discharge date. He was panicking about whether he would be able to provide for his family. He had been invited to an interview for a vacancy he had found himself and shortly afterwards was offered a job. Some soldiers are very independent and do their own thing which is great. But it’s really Lorna knows all about the challenges of transitioning important that we are there for them in case because she herself has been through it first-hand. their plans don’t work out as they had hoped.”

She studied Mechanical Engineering at university and then went on to spend 17 years in the Army. So Lorna called a couple of weeks later to see how the did she always want to be an SEC? “Absolutely not! job was going. “He explained that he resigned I was lucky enough to be selected for because he did not feel that he was getting his Management Accountancy Training whilst in manager’s support, especially where he had the Army and once qualified my second career identified Health and Safety failings at his would have naturally been in the financial new company. He was in a dark place and sector. But at the time I had four small could not think how to move forward.” children and I was keen to spend some time at home with them. Once they were at school The soldier then accepted Lorna’s support in I felt quite out of touch with the industry. identifying some new job opportunities. “ I sent the I suppose I should have practiced what I now appropriate details and he arranged preach and looked at a work placement. interviews himself. He was in a new job a “I decided to apply for the job of SEC as I week later. When I visited him he was already have always enjoyed helping people and the talking about his expansion plans and how requirement to be patient and empathetic he could help move the organisation forward.

He said the best part of his new job was ‘I don’t have to pretend to be someone I’m not.

I can just be me’.”

So what is the most rewarding part of being an SEC? “Seeing a soldier evolve into a confident employee, starting a new and exciting career.

It is such an amazing feeling. The system works and we are seeing more soldiers enjoying fulfilling vocations, regardless of their injuries or illnesses.”

Lorna understands how important the work of The Soldiers’ Charity is across the gamut of transition situations. “Everyone needs help at some point in their lives. Even fit and healthy soldiers who bounce into a rewarding, fulfilling career after leaving the Army might need help one day - either for themselves or a family member. Knowing that The Soldiers’ Charity is there to help them, for life, is such a relief.

This funding has been a critical component in getting soldiers back to work.

“In my role as an SEC I have seen firsthand the difference the Charity is making to people’s lives. A lot of thanks should go to the supporters of The Soldiers’ Charity because it is through their donations that this service is being provided to soldiers in need.”

Turn to page 3 to read our welfare update and see statistics on how this grant has helped soldiers across the UK.

FrontLine

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Feature: Scotland The Brave

Adapting to his injuries back home in Inverurie was tough and the family home needed major structural work done to accommodate Craig’s reduced mobility. There was an urgent need for non-slip flooring in the bathroom so he could safely use the facilities. “I couldn’t even shower at my own house as I would’ve slipped, it was that basic.” The Soldiers’ Charity made a grant for £769 to cover these costs which allowed Craig to independently carry out his daily routines.

The Charity also made a number of other grants towards the purchase of fitness equipment so Craig could continue his rehabilitation in his garage at home. One of these grants was administered by the Charity through the Quick Reaction Fund, which enabled the building of a garden shed so he could safely store his specially adapted bike. “The bike is my primary source of keeping fit and I like it as I wasn’t a biker before I was injured so it allows me to challenge myself and get outdoors.”

Scotland The Brave Inverurie born Craig Paterson serves in 4th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland and, at 23 years old, has experienced a great deal more adversity than most. In July 2011 he was severely injured by a gunshot wound to the head whilst on deployment in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Although he was extremely lucky to survive such serious wounds, it has been a long road to recovery. However, Craig has met every challenge face-on and is building a bright future for himself as he prepares to be medically discharged from the Army in May. Craig talks to us about how grants from The Soldiers’ Charity helped him defy the odds and make a truly remarkable recovery.

“I joined the Army in 2009. I was 19 years old, living in Inverurie with my mum Alison but wanted to do something different so signed up to the Army. I joined 4 SCOTS because they’re my local Battalion.”

Craig was deployed to Afghanistan in April 2011 on Op Herrick 14 to the area around Lashkar Gah. “It was exciting and it’s actually a beautiful place.”

On the day Craig got injured he was out on patrol in a place that no one had really ventured into.

He explains what happened on that pivotal day: “We were patrolling along and got contacted a couple of times so took refuge in a compound. It was around 2pm so the heat 16

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of the day was upon us. I went up onto the roof to give the group protection but it turned into a big fire fight with automatic fire coming from several directions.

“I put my head up to return fire and as I did a round hit my helmet. I felt a loud ringing and could feel myself falling to the ground. I later found out the bullet went into my forehead and exited out of the back of my head and I wasn’t expected to survive.”

Craig was evacuated to at an American base and operated on by a neurosurgeon before being flown back to Birmingham via Camp Bastion: “I remember at the time thinking I just wanted to see my family.”

Craig was first told about his discharge last summer and admits: “I’m quite apprehensive about civilian life, but know a change is coming. My mum and girlfriend are helping me make this transition and I’m just taking every day as it comes, step by step.

“The funding from the Charity has helped get me prepared both mentally and physically. I’m about to do a Health & Safety course next, as where I live there are a lot of opportunities in oil and gas so this course will perhaps help me get into that industry.”

As if all this wasn’t enough to keep Craig busy, he is also an ambassador for The Cateran Yomp.

“I’m going to come along as I want to raise awareness of soldiers who are in a similar position to me. It’s a brilliant chance for people to challenge themselves, get outdoors and see the Scottish countryside.

Even my mum Alison is thinking of doing it this year!

“The Soldiers’ Charity have done so much for me; their funding has been so varied and they’ve helped me to live and carry out the most basic day to day tasks.

They’re so trusted and are here for the long haul. To me, and so many, it’s a lifeline.”

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All images by Malcolm Cochrane

Craig is very honest about the darkest times during his rehabilitation: “I had to re-teach my brain how to do simple things like eat and drink and have had to adapt a lot. I had to learn how to be left handed for example. The large majority of what got me through the difficult times was pure determination.”

That determination drove Craig on to set himself more challenges and think about life after the Army. Most recently The Soldiers’ Charity provided a grant to buy a laptop which allows Craig to explore work placement opportunities and undertake a computing qualification to better prepare for his medical discharge in May 2013.

“I wanted to do a computing course and having the laptop means I can do it in my own time, from home. Knowing how to use a computer and its packages is an essential skill. I didn’t have any computing qualifications before but now I’ve successfully completed that course and I’ve learned a lot. It makes me more employable and confident in planning for my future.”

Craig spent just under a month in hospital before being transferred to Headley Court for over seven months of rehabilitation.

He is currently based under the command of the Personnel Recovery Unit in Edinburgh.

“I had a titanium plate fitted in my skull and I suffer from severe weakness on the right hand side of my body but it has got better with rehab. It’s a miracle that I’m not in a wheelchair, by rights I shouldn’t be walking.”

But Craig has defied the many physical and medical perceptions about what he should and shouldn’t be able to do. Nothing holds him back.

FrontLine

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Opinion

Opinion: Melanie Waters The Chief Executive of The Poppy Factory talks to us about why the work of The Soldiers’ Charity is so important.

What happens to our wounded, injured and sick war heroes when they need to go back to work?

“Finding work for David is going to be really hard in this economic climate. There are so many fit and healthy people looking for jobs, we thought what chance does he have?”

This is a quote from the father of one of our current clients. His son David spent nine years recovering from severe head injuries sustained in his early twenties. Being wounded, injured or sick doesn’t just affect your health. It affects your family, your friends, and your chances of a job. And now David has recovered his health sufficiently, he has to take the next big step and rebuild the rest of his life.

It’s the intention of the MOD to cut some 25,000 military posts by 2015. Combined with the ongoing exit from Afghanistan, large numbers of ex-Service personnel are finding themselves entering an already difficult job market. Although figures are hard to come by, we estimate the total number of disabled veterans of employable age is somewhere around 75,000. There is latent demand from those who may have served in past conflicts such as Northern Ireland, the Falkland Islands and Iraq.

Current demand can be estimated by considering the 750 medical discharges per year, the 4,000 recently wounded, injured or sick men and women within the recovery process and the 1,000 people per year transitioning out of the recovery process and potentially able to begin working again.

The specialised role of The Poppy Factory team is to help all those who are making or have made the life-changing move from working within HM Forces to working in civilian jobs. We have the single minded ambition to help any veteran who has become wounded, been injured of suffered long term illness to get back to into work.

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1 Melanie Waters, CEO The Poppy Factory 2 Her Majesty The Queen meets clients and members of The Poppy Factory 3-4 Vocational day at Thatcham 5 Visit of Hasler Company to The Popppy Factory (Images 1, 2 and 5 courtesy of Alex Griffiths Photography. Images 3 and 4 courtesy of Thatcham Research)

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As Chief Executive of The Poppy Factory, one of my most important roles is to showcase the talents and skills of those leaving the Forces. Our candidates may often have experienced injuries that make finding sustainable employment very difficult, and sometimes they simply lack the confidence or expertise to know where and how to look. However, my own career background is from the commercial sector, rather than the Forces.

I know that the candidates we see have exactly the qualities any modern employer is looking for; planning, detail orientation, effective communication and reporting, delivery and follow up are just a few. People from the Services are empowered to build teams and become leaders from the very start of their training. There is also something even more deeply engrained and even more valuable to employers. Our ex-Armed Forces clients also offer some intrinsic values at their core such as loyalty, compassion and integrity.

Enlightened companies and organisations tell me that their workplaces benefit in many ways as a result of

employing one of our clients. Organisations better represent the community surrounding their business; they become more diverse and inclusive and employees begin to appreciate, accommodate and accept the needs of all individuals, whatever their background.

So what does happen to our wounded, injured and sick war heroes when they need go back to work? The Poppy Factory has a small but dedicated team of employability consultants who are based throughout the UK and have close links with the Personnel Recovery Units, with the tight knit veterans’ community and with other military charities to ensure that we work collaboratively to find the right solution for our clients.

Our consultants start by gaining a complete understanding of each client’s individual needs. By working one-to-one, we find out how their skills, their experiences and their capabilities translate into civilian working life. And once we find a match with a suitable employer, our work isn’t over. The opportunity must be sustainable to be successful. We support our

clients for a full year once they have been offered a new role.

The Soldiers’ Charity has committed to give us a financial grant of £168,000 over a three year period to help us in these aims and every penny of that funding will go towards providing more in-work training and support for ex-Army candidates. For example with the support of The Soldiers’ Charity, we will be able to identify and support more clients who need further training or who have the promise of a role if they can qualify or undertake further training.

The life-transforming benefits of developing a fulfilling career are unforgettable and we are working on achieving this for David and his family right now. Our role is to continue to deliver the benchmark of sustainable success for our clients and to widely communicate the benefits for employers. The commitment from The Soldiers’ Charity is certainly helping us to achieve these aims.

See P24 for just some of the many ways you can help support.

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FrontLine

Interview

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Interview

Interview: Josh Lewsey

Major Charles Dunphie is a fourth generation soldier who left the Army in 2010 to take on managing a family farm in Scotland and enjoy being a father to his three young daughters. He joined the Charity as part-time Assistant Director Scotland in May 2011. December 2012 saw Charles take up the post of Regional Director Scotland. FrontLine caught up with him to talk about his time in the Army, why he thinks the Charity’s work is more important than ever and the Cateran Yomp.

Josh Lewsey passed-out from the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst in 2001 and served as an Officer in the Royal Artillery, before making the difficult decision to leave to pursue a full time career playing professional rugby union. He was part of the 2003 Rugby World Cup winning team and today enjoys a very different career in the City. He shares his experiences of Army life and carving out his successful career on Civvy Street.

[The Soldiers’ Charity] Did you want to join the Army from a very young age?

[The Soldiers’ Charity] What made you want to join the Army?

image by Malcolm Cochrane

Interview: Major Charles Dunphie

[Charles Dunphie] Yes – I joined as a Rifleman in Dundee in October 1992 and after 8 years of service was made a Major on my 30th Birthday in 2000. 10 years later I retired as a Chief Instructor and company commander at Sandhurst (Rifles Regimental Representative). My father, both grandfathers, a great uncle and two great grandfather all served in the Army and I knew early on that I wanted to follow in their footsteps.

What do you admire most about Army life?

It has to be the people – no doubt about it!

You’re on operations together under pressure in adverse situations where you have to rely on one another and from that you start building bonds and make some amazing friendships; that’s what makes the Army such a special organisation. Actually you see the same sort of thing over a 24 hour period on the Cateran Yomp.

Once I left the Army I knew I wanted to do something with a military charity. The opportunity came up for me to get involved in The Soldiers’ Charity and to try to make a difference in Scotland and I was really excited to take it.

Why is the Charity’s existence so vital?

A vast majority of soldiers when they leave the Army make the transition to civilian life fairly easily. There will always be some who for one reason or another find it more difficult; for example two big causes are serious wounding or financial issues.

The Charity exists to help those people and everyone else in between. These individuals have put themselves in harm’s way and were prepared to stand up when it counted. We are repaying that debt of thanks by being there to give never-ending support at the time when their need is most great.

You took part in the Cateran Yomp in 2012; how did you find the challenge?

It was awesome. I would describe The Yomp like walking down a tunnel of goodwill!

Wherever you went there was someone urging you on and it was fantastic fun. It was an excellent event that took me 23.5 hours to complete. My wife Amanda will be taking part in the event this year, so it’s my turn to be part of the support team and cheer her on round the course.

What would you say to anyone who is thinking of taking part in the Cateran Yomp but has not yet signed up?

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[Josh Lewsey] I played rugby as a youngster and then while I was at Bristol University professionally. After university I concentrated on it solely for a couple of years, but to be honest I found I needed something more, so having been on a bursary through university I joined the Army. I wanted to test and challenge myself. I knew being part of a team was important to me and in the Army you get a sense of togetherness that you find nowhere else. But it wasn’t just about what I wanted.

I felt a sense of duty and the Army’s sense of honour, beliefs and values resonated with me.

Do you have any regrets about this decision?

I was passionate about both and I did agonise over that choice. I will always regret that I didn’t fight for my country, but it brought home to me how you have to sacrifice some things that are important to you. Ultimately I valued my closest friends’ opinions and rightly they said how lucky I was to be able to play for my country. It was the right decision.

What do you miss about the Army?

Most of all I miss the sense of belonging.

There are few other jobs where you create such a strong bond with the people you work with. The friends I made in the Army are still my friends now; they’re friends for life.

Not long after I’d left the Army I was on the England team when we won the 2003 World Cup. The first people I called were my Army mates. They were in the middle of a firefight in Iraq, I could hear them all celebrating the win against that background noise. I owed them that and I will never forget it.

How did the Army help facilitate your rugby career?

Don’t be overawed by it, the Yomp is really “do-able”. It’s a fantastic team building event so I would urge you to form a team of your colleagues or friends and take on the Cateran Yomp together. It is a real challenge mentally as well as physically and the sense of achievement you feel when you pass that finish line makes it all worthwhile! It is an experience you will remember fondly all your life.

What do you love about the supporters in your region?

It’s the enthusiasm of the people that support a cause they believe in and I get a buzz out of trying to harness that enthusiasm.

Describe in 3 words what ABF The Soldiers’ Charity means to you?

The Soldiers’ Charity is all about ‘compassion’ and ‘tenacity’ in providing help and support for those who need us.

I would also use the word ‘enduring’ to describe the support we offer.

Were you prepared for the transition from Army life to Civvy life?

I knew I was going to be concentrating on farming when I left the Army so in that sense I was prepared for what I would be focusing on when I left. I have friends who have left the Army and say it can be a full time job finding another job on Civvy Street.

It is never plain sailing making that transition but I suppose I was relatively lucky that I coped well.

What do you think is the most challenging aspect of the transition from Army life to

Civvy life, particularly for a wounded, injured or sick soldier?

I think the need to look after your family and put bread on your table is what a lot of the challenges and stresses are about. That means finding a job and that’s always been one of the most difficult things when transitioning. Employment and training support is one of the areas the charity has been focusing on closely in the last 18 months and it’s been a lifeline for so many individuals.

What great qualities and skills do you think soldiers offer civilian society?

It is important to realise that soldiers have a huge amount to offer; they are highly motivated, very loyal, have a vast array of transferable skills and those qualities are all very valuable to employers and civilian life.

Soldiers are trained to work until the job is done and that goes beyond a 9-5 attitude.

Soldiers are not trained for defeat…they are trained for victory and to have this positive attitude is invaluable to society.

To celebrate the arrival of our new Scottish Regional Director we are offering FrontLine readers £10 off of registration for The Alliance Trust Cateran Yomp 2013! Simply enter the promotional code YOMP10 when signing up online. Visit soldierscharity.org/yomp

Mentally I think the Army gave me the ability to concentrate on those things that I can control and not on things I can’t control. Being able to concentrate on what matters, develops one’s mental fortitude for big occasions.

What was it like having to choose between a career in the Army or playing rugby?

How did you find the transition from Army life to civilian life?

To do them justice simultaneously, in the end, became untenable. At the time I was being considered nationally again.

Consequently I simply couldn’t do both to a high enough standard that I was happy with

The transition from the Army to any other career, at whatever level, is very hard.

I would say the most important thing is to

© Richard Lane Photography

When did you first get involved in working with The Soldiers’ Charity?

so I had to make a choice; this was the hardest choice I have had to make.

keep a good support network around you; your family, friends, the people close to you - they’re the ones you will need to rely on if things get tough.

What advice would you give others making this transition now, who are trying to decide on a new career?

You need to go for a job linked to something you really care about. Decide what you’re really passionate about and then take steps to shape a career around that. It won’t always be easy, but you will have the skills you learned in the Army that are invaluable in the outside world; efficiency, decisionmaking, attention to detail, all of this will help on Civvy Street. The most important thing is not to lose yourself.

You’ve been doing a lot to support ABF The Soldiers’ Charity over the last 12 months; what is it about the Charity that you feel such an affinity with?

I want to give something back and do my bit. I really admire the work The Soldiers’ Charity does in helping men and women transfer from Army to civilian life. Their grants for training and on-going support of those who have been injured or suffer mental health problems is amazing. I’m also on the board of Combat Stress and I know both charities will be helping many more soldiers, former soldiers and their families in the difficult times ahead.

© Richard Lane Photography

FrontLine

FrontLine

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Online Update

Online Update & Highlights

The Army Family

ABF The Soldiers’ Charity is always active. We move with the times and adapt quickly to reach different audiences and create new messages.

Our online presence has performed remarkably well over the last 12 months. We now have 55,000 likes on Facebook - an increase of over 120% from this time last year.

Social Media Noun (usually used with a plural verb) Computers. Websites and other online means of communication that are used by large groups of people to share information and to develop professional and social contacts. Many businesses are utilising social media to generate sales.

Thanks, Soldier!

Our Facebook campaign, Thanks, Soldier! won Digital Campaign of the Year at the prestigious Digi Awards in June. The campaign sought to add thousands of supporters’ pictures to a huge Union Jack which, on New Year’s Eve, would be projected onto an iconic British landmark.

Celebrities Fern Britton, Joanna Lumley, Gary Lineker and Dame Vera Lynn were among the thousands of supporters who

‘liked’ the Charity, and followed the easyto-join instructions. Supporters could also change the display to feature just their face or those of their friends as sharing the experience was seen as key to its success.

The online campaign was the focus of a full page feature in The Sunday Mirror, with two follow up articles, and featured in three other national newspapers and in two British Forces Broadcast Service interviews.

Over the four week campaign, the Charity regularly issued teasers on Twitter featuring #thankssoldier about the iconic

landmark, and on New Year’s Eve a Union Jack flag comprising more than 6,000 profile pictures was projected onto the White Cliffs of Dover.

At its peak, more than 7,400 people were ‘talking about this’ on the ABF The Soldiers’ Charity Facebook page, while it increased ‘likes’ from 9,000 to 25,000 over the month.

‘This was an excellent, solid campaign on a low budget which was fully integrated across digital channels,’ said the judges.

‘A very nice creative idea.’

As if ‘Thanks, Soldier!’ weren‘t success enough the Facebook App on the theme of the Army family, from the last issue of FrontLine, was named Digital Campaign of the Week in the leading charity magazine Third Sector.

The Facebook App invites you to watch a teaser video, then “Join The Army Family” by liking the page. From there, you gain access

to five more videos. Filmed as conversations between two individuals, the films are intimate portrayals capturing sides of The Army Family that people do not often see, such as their great sense of humour even during the toughest of times. We aim to illustrate just how wide-reaching and diverse The Army Family is and to encourage more people to show their support for our soldiers.

In the words of Third Sector Magazine: “These simple campaign videos are short

and easy to watch, yet they capture the personalities of the subjects brilliantly. In particular, the videos featuring Sarah, Emma and serving soldier, Micky, who lost both his legs, and his wife Jody, are moving to watch.

The Facebook app creates a community where people can come together to talk about loved ones who are fighting or have lost their lives. The community aspect will ensure that awareness of the campaign is spread and the Charity will reach a greater audience.”

Connect With Us Everyone is really pleased with the recognition. We hope it encourages as many people as possible to show their support for soldiers by staying up-to-date with everything that goes on at ABF The Soldiers’ Charity. If you haven’t already, you can do it here!

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Stephen Steele, Digital Communications Manager collects the award on behalf of ABF The Soldiers’ Charity for Digital Campaign of the Year. (image by Philip Hollis Photogrpahy)

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Ways to donate

Ways to donate: 11 easy ways to support We are grateful to receive support from a wide spectrum of supporters. Whether you’re a soldier or former soldier, a spouse, a mum or dad, a sister or brother, or just someone who wants to look out for the men and women who put everything on the line to defend us. There are so many reasons to support our soldiers and their families and many ways to show your support - here just some of the ways you can help.

Give without thinking

Raise money while you shop online

Write to a friend

It’s a simple matter of a phone call to 020 7811 3231 to set up a monthly standing order and support our Army family all year round.

Buy what you want online through giveasyoulive, and your favourite stores send us a donation every time you buy. Visit

In an age of texts and emails, it’s lovely to receive a handwritten card. Buy a pack of cards or notelets in our online shop and a percentage goes to the Charity. Visit

giveasyoulive.com/join/thesoldierscharity

Remember our soldiers in your will

soldierscharityshop.org

Gifts left to us in wills are our biggest single source of income.

Without them, our work simply wouldn’t be possible.

By remembering ABF The Soldiers’ Charity in your will, you can ensure that those soldiers risking their lives for us today will have the support they need to deal with the lasting physical and mental scars of war.

For more information, please contact our contact Guilliana Castle on 0207 901 8908 or gcastle@soldierscharity.org

Give as you earn Payroll giving is simple and could save you tax. Call 020 7811 3231 or email

fundraising@soldierscharity.org to find out more.

Follow us on Social Media Facebook: facebook.com/soldierscharity Twitter: soldierscharity LinkedIn: search The Soldiers’ Charity Flickr: Flickr.com/groups/soldierscharity

Be your own charity shop Free up some much needed space. Sell your unwanted clothes and other items on eBay and donate the proceeds to help soldiers returning home.

Dig in & dig deep for The Soldiers’ Charity Big Curry Make it an extra special day

Take on a summer challenge

Take away a curry

Does your family never know what to buy you for birthdays or anniversaries? Why not ask them to make a donation to your Army family instead by setting up a Just Giving page. Visit justgiving.com.

Try the Alliance Trust Cateran Yomp, Charity Skydive or a local Soldiers’ Charity event near you - experiences of a lifetime, all for a good cause.

Big Curry Month is officially in October, but you can fundraise whenever you have a takeaway by rounding up the bill and donating it to us. Text ARMY BIGCURRY to 70004 to donate £3 to the ABF The Soldiers’ Charity. Increase your donation by texting

Everyone loves a good curry – and the bigger the better. So a Big Curry is a great way to have fun with family and friends while also raising vital funds for ABF The Soldiers’ Charity.

Text cost your donation amount plus network charge.

ABF The Soldiers’ Charity receives 100% of your donation.

Obtain bill payers permission. Customer care 08448479800.

We’ve been helping to support soldiers, former soldiers and their families since 1944.

ARMY BIGCURRY £5 or ARMY BIGCURRY £10

This year, you can help too by raising money with your own Big Curry – it’s spice and easy!

Register now: Bigcurry.org Call us: 020 7811 3960 Email us: bigcurry@soldierscharity.org

ABF The Soldiers’ Charity is a registered charity in England and Wales (1146420) and in Scotland (SC039189).

Registered as a company limited by guarantee in England and Wales (07974609).

Supporting Give a British Rose charm

Gift Aid it

To celebrate, honour and remember our soldiers, buy a British Rose charm, with a percentage of each sale benefiting the Charity.

If you haven’t already signed up for Gift Aid, please call us on 020 7811 3231. We’ll send you a form to sign so the Inland Revenue will give us an extra 25p for every £1 you donate.

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Registered charity No. 1146420, Registered Company No. 07974609 Registered Office: Mountbarrow House, 6-20 Elizabeth Street, London, SW1W 9RB

bigcurry.org

Thank you...