Bryn's Story

Bryn served as an Infantryman in the elite 1st Battalion Parachute Regiment (1 PARA), part of the Special Forces Support Group. He was regularly deployed on operations - to Kosovo, Sierra Leone, Northern Ireland, Iraq, and Afghanistan – and he was fulfilled by his achievements as a soldier.

After 10 years of active duty however, the physical demands of the role took its toll, and he experienced pain and damage to both his ankles. As he was no longer able to train or go on operations, he accepted that it was time to hang up his Army boots.

Unphased by the transition to civilian life, Bryn quickly transferred his military expertise into a career in private security. He secured contracts to protect senior US government officials as they supervised rebuilding projects in war-damaged Afghanistan and Iraq.

It was whilst he was in Iraq in October 2006, that the car he was travelling in detonated an IED planted in the road. The resulting blast tragically killed all 3 of his fellow passengers and Bryn was critically injured. He lost part of his bowels and his right leg had to be amputated above the knee.

A very long rehabilitation followed until, at last, in 2008, he began to walk again with the help of a prosthetic limb. At the time, Bryn felt that he had been given a new chance at life and he wanted to move on. His first marriage came to an end but in time, he remarried and started his own business. It was when that business failed that he felt thwarted and frustrated that his previously active life was lost to him. He began to use alcohol to obliterate his thoughts and moods until his mental health deteriorated and he became increasingly withdrawn and depressed.

Bryn was referred to the Military Veterans’ Service NHS Pennine Care and underwent talking therapies to help him better manage his situation. He responded well under their expert care and his mental wellbeing improved dramatically.

15 years after he was injured, Bryn felt ready to consider returning to work. He wanted to earn a living again and to feel valued and so in May 2021, he was directed to WWTW to help him back into employment.

Firstly, he met his Employment Advisor, David, who helped him consider all his career options. Then, once Bryn had made the decision to retrain as a Counsellor, WWTW helped him to find and apply for the right courses and to start his journey towards a new career.

“The team at WWTW suggested all sorts of job ideas but I didn’t know what I wanted to do. They did not give up on me and eventually the wheels started to turn in my head. I had been inspired by the care that I had received from the Military Veterans’ Service, and I realised that I wanted to become a Counsellor and help others as I had been helped. David, my Employment Advisor knew how to find the right courses and to get the funding I needed. He supported me every step of the way and I cannot praise him enough.”

Since then, Bryn has successfully passed courses in Dementia Awareness, Mental Health First Aid, and a Peer Navigator course. WWTW applied for and secured the necessary funds for the next important stage in Bryn’s training – Level 3 Information Advice & Guidance and he is currently working to complete his studies. He has also secured a volunteer Peer Support role with Greater Manchester Mental Health and is gaining valuable practical experience. With WWTW’s help, he has recently applied for his first role in Counselling with the NHS.

Bryn has always drawn on his natural resilience and strength to move forward with his life. Ultimately, he wants to be able to help other ex-military in crisis, particularly those in the prison system or those being helped by a Veterans’ charity.