Heritage Lottery Fund has granted £21,800 to veterans’ mental health charity, Combat Stress towards establishing its archives.
Combat Stress holds records, including meeting documents, photographs and objects dating back to 1919 when the charity was founded following the First World War. These materials not only represent the history of Combat Stress and the support it provided, but also reflect the changing attitudes over the years to mental health.
The grant, made possible by National Lottery players through the Heritage Lottery Fund, will help the charity establish a physical and digital archive. Once completed, the archive will offer a unique opportunity for researchers, historians and other interested parties to explore the charity’s innovative history.
Sue Freeth, Chief Executive of Combat Stress said;
“We’re so grateful to Heritage Lottery Fund for this grant towards developing our archives.
“Since 1919 records have been collected, but their content has never been explored in depth or been made available to the public. I’m sure our records will provide fascinating information about the charity and a wealth of interesting stories about mental health support for former servicemen and women over the years.
“This grant means that we will be able to establish a widely available archive and share our history and achievements. We are eagerly looking forward to the wealth of information and opportunities an established archive will provide.”
For more information on Heritage Lottery Fund please visit hlf.org.uk
Notes to editors:
Combat Stress is the UK’s leading charity for veterans’ mental health.
For almost a century we’ve helped former servicemen and women deal with issues like trauma, anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Over the past five years (2012 to 2017) we have seen an average of more than 2,000 referrals each year. Demand for our services continues to grow – we have seen a 143% increase in referrals from ten years ago.
On average it takes 12 years after leaving the military for veterans to contact Combat Stress for help, by which time their condition is often highly complex. However, veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts are coming to Combat Stress much sooner (three and four years respectively).
To help veterans rebuild their lives, we provide a range of free services:
- Short-stay clinical treatment at our treatment centres in Ayrshire and Surrey
- A specialist Intensive Treatment Programme – delivered at our treatment centres
- Community Teams – providing treatment and practical support to veterans. Last year our regional community teams undertook almost 5,400 face-to-face appointments
- Outpatients – assessment by psychiatrists and psychologists – at our treatment centres and in the community – enables us to diagnose, define and deliver the treatment veterans require
- Occupational therapy – delivered at our treatment centres and in the community, we use meaningful and creative activity to encourage hope, wellbeing and recovery
- Peer Support Service – Led by veterans for veterans, it’s the first UK-wide service of its kind for those with mental health problems. The service enables them to share their experiences, receive support and socialise with others with similar experiences.
- Substance Misuse Case Management Service – helping veterans to access the services for their drug and alcohol problems so their mental health issues can be addressed
- Our 24-hour Helpline is there for veterans, serving personnel and their families (0800 138 1619)
Useful links
Our website: combatstress.org.uk
On Twitter: @CombatStress
On Facebook: facebook.com/CombatStress
On LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/combat-stress
