Matt's Story

By Walking With The Wounded on Oct 5, 1:38pm

Every penny you raise for Walking Home For Christmas will support people like Matt..

‘As an alcoholic, I’d taken things right to the edge and I needed to rebuild my life in gradual steps. The help I received from WWTW was incredible. My WWTW Advisor, Alex, was always there for me - She listened, she did lots of work on my behalf and then she pointed me in the right direction. She got it spot on and I cannot thank her enough for that.’

Matt joined the Royal Hampshire Regiment in 1983 at the age of 16. After 5 years’ service, Matt decided to leave the army to pursue a career outside of the military. 

Unfortunately, it was during this period that Matt began to drink. At first it was social drinking – the odd pint after work and at the...

Brendan's Veteran Story

By Walking With The Wounded on Nov 10, 10:55am

Every penny you raise for Walking Home For Christmas will support people like Brendan...

Served in N.Ireland, Kosovo and the Falklands in a 12 year spell with 3 Para before doing a further 14 years as an Army Medic.  

He was diagnosed with PTSD believed to be from his first-hand involvement of treating casualties returning from various conflicts – and was reluctantly medically discharged from the Army two years after suffering a stroke.

Brendan was referred to the NHS Veterans team after his PTSD flared up while being treated in hospital for an infection. They referred him to WWTW to find a job which would help with his mental health.

"Mentally, I was on the floor when I was referred to WWTW. My Employment Advisor picked me up and...

Neil's Veteran Story

By Walking With The Wounded on Nov 10, 10:55am

Every penny you raise for Walking Home For Christmas will support people like Neil...

Deployed to Bosnia, Macedonia, Iraq, Sierra Leone and Afghanistan in a 23-year career before medical discharge.  

Neil, a WO2 in the Army Air Corps, suffered a training accident in Kenya where he was trapped underwater beneath an upturned raft, nearly drowned, suffered spinal injuries and as a result struggled with PTSD, including an extreme phobia of water. This impacted his family life, his marriage suffered and eventually lead to divorce, “it felt like I had lost it all, my wife and two wonderful children. It was too much to deal with.”

Post discharge he was referred to WWTW’s mental health programme, is now able to cope with his PTSD and has...

Anthony's Veteran Story

By Walking With The Wounded on Nov 10, 10:50am

Every penny you raise for Walking Home For Christmas will support people like Anthony...

Joined the Army at 16, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, and served 16 years with tours in Germany, Sinai (Egypt), Beirut and five tours in N.Ireland. His mental health declined in the Army but Anthony said, “the last thing I wanted to do was lose my command. I clammed up and didn’t dare talk about it. You keep it to yourself; us men clam up.”

Decades later his wife persuaded him to seek help and he was referred to WWTW by Combat Stress.

“I’d been having flashbacks for the past 26 years but hadn’t spoken to my wife about them. I can talk about what I saw now. I couldn’t talk to people before without breaking down, or shaking....

Carly's Veteran Story

By Walking With The Wounded on Nov 10, 10:45am

Every penny you raise for Walking Home For Christmas will support people like Carly...

Joined the Army but discharged after 15 months with mental health issues.

She suffered a breakdown and struggled to hold down a job.

A Walking With The Wounded Employment Advisor reassured her she was entitled to support despite short service history, arranged mental health therapy, volunteering, work experience and job opportunities.

“My whole has changed after meeting the employment advisor from WWTW. I can now see that I have a bright future thanks to them.” - Carly