NEWS
Read the latest updates and view archived articles from Walking With The Wounded's 'Walking Home Home For Christmas' December campaign.
Carly’s story
By Walking With The Wounded on
Carly joined the Army in June 2012. When the initial 14-16 weeks of basic training commenced Carly immediately began to experience symptoms of anxiety, feeling panicky. When the PT session came round Carly recollects standing in the ablutions in floods of tears brought on by the mere thought of the obstacle course. Eventually Carly was discharged from the Army in September 2013, just 15 months after joining. In 2015 Carly suffered a breakdown and sought treatment through her GP. In August 2017 Carly met with an Employment Adviser from Walking With The Wounded who Carly refers to as "brilliant from day one". After initial successes, In January 2018 Carly began to once again experience feelings of anxiety and self-doubt and suffered a further breakdown, Carly's EA encouraged her to go back to her doctor, which helped immensely, with regular therapy sessions and a change of medications Carly began to feel an uplift in her mood. Carly spoke to her previous employer and went back to working for 5 hours at a local petrol station. Carly's EA advised her to take things steady, Carly said that for the first time in her life she took on board the advice given.
Carly's EA helped her to recognise her strengths, such as her caring nature and advised her to think about working in the adult services sector with a suggestion of becoming a job coach with a local supported Employment Service. During April Carly's WWTW EA approached Enable, within Shropshire Council to see if there were job vacancies and if they would consider Carly for interview and they encouraged Carly's application. She promptly completed her application, securing an interview and successfully securing employment. Carly flourished at interview and was offered a full time position the day after. This news gave Carly a huge boost in confidence, she felt happy and felt a sense of security with the prospect of a regular wage that would enable her to plan for the future.
"My whole life has changed after meeting the Employment Advisor from WWTW. I can now see that I have a bright future thanks to them. Being employed by a company that understands my mental health issues is really comforting. The regular supervision with my boss makes me even more convinced this is the right job for me and a job I can thrive in."
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John's Story
By Walking With The Wounded on
Inspired by his Grandad’s WW2 stories, John always dreamed of joining the Army. He served with the 3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery in Germany, training as a Signaller and Gunner Driver before progressing to special operations and reconnaissance.
John was being fast-tracked for promotion when his father became seriously ill and needed a triple bypass. Given the risk, John was granted a special waiver to leave the Army immediately so he could be at home. Thankfully, his father survived.
Missing his military career, John found work with the local council fitting exterior doors. In March 2016, however, his spine catastrophically collapsed following years of heavy lifting. He was told he would never work again. Severe mobility problems,...
Zoe's Story
By Walking With The Wounded on
Inspired by her father and grandfather’s passion for aviation photography, Zoe dreamed of joining the RAF. After COVID-19, she made that ambition a reality, overcoming a challenging 10 weeks of basic training despite being a slow runner and suffering an abductor strain.
With a natural aptitude for technology, Zoe trained at RAF Cosford as a Cyberspace Communications Specialist, working with ground-based systems, IT infrastructure and the security of UK military networks. She thrived in the role and joined the RAF Cycling Development Team.
Her next posting at RAF Waddington involved demanding, high-security work. The isolation, relentless pressure and stress gradually took their toll, and Zoe was eventually medically discharged...
Toby's Story
By Walking With The Wounded on
Serving in the Royal Engineers for four years, Toby’s deployment to Serbia was a life-changing time resulting in lasting mental trauma. Only 21 when he left the military, Toby’s transition back into civilian life was not straightforward and he relied heavily on drink.
His life started to implode until he was finally diagnosed with PTSD and help came through veteran services. Toby was initially in the RAF cadets when he was 17, but when looking for a career he decided to enlist in the Army. He qualified as an HGV driver with the Royal Engineers and he enjoyed military life, making strong and lasting friendships with the guys he served with.
Toby was eventually diagnosed with PTSD and received intensive treatment at Combat Stress, the...