I received an invitation to attend the Portsmouth venue of three Cake and Coffee meetings being held by Combat Stress and decided to go along and participate in the event.
https://www.combatstress.org.uk/
The next and last of these will be held in Salisbury on 15th November 2018
https://www.combatstress.org.uk/coffee-cake-and-combat-stress
https://www.combatstress.org.uk/
The next and last of these will be held in Salisbury on 15th November 2018
https://www.combatstress.org.uk/coffee-cake-and-combat-stress
This would be a first for me because, as a fundraiser for both Help for Heroes in the past and Combat Stress now, I had never attended any of their events before.
The venue of The Royal Maritime Club was handy for me as it was just a short walk from the Gosport Ferry located on Queen's Street opposite the dockyard wall.
The Club Building is very smart providing both a meeting point and a hotel for members. It is also used by both Combat Stress and H4H as a regional treatment center.
The Central Entrance Lobby Rotunda
The event was centered around a Walk In concept for veterans and fundraisers plus anyone else who may like to find out about the operation of the Charity and also become a fundraiser or just make donations, say, in their will.
Our hosts for the day were Community Fundraising Officer, Peter Butterworth and event organiser and Senior Supporter Care Officer, Sarah Seddon. Both seen here in conversation.
The venue provided a relaxed mix of tables decked with information materials where we could sit and in my case mostly listen to the stories and experiences of the veterans there who had or were still receiving treatment.
The table on the right contained a fine array of merchandise items now available for sale on the the Combat Stress Website.
The table on the right contained a fine array of merchandise items now available for sale on the the Combat Stress Website.
There was an ample supply of Coffee, Tea and Cakes to be enjoyed during the three hours of the event as well.
The short video, ..#liberatinglives..,
https://www.combatstress.org.uk/liberating-lives....was running throughout the event.
Please just take a moment to listen to how these four veterans came to know and benefit from the support offered by Combat Stress and hear how they have each been helped.
Hear are the story sheets, of four treatment recipients for your interest, that I was able to bring away.
https://www.combatstress.org.uk/liberating-lives....was running throughout the event.
Please just take a moment to listen to how these four veterans came to know and benefit from the support offered by Combat Stress and hear how they have each been helped.
Hear are the story sheets, of four treatment recipients for your interest, that I was able to bring away.
Here is Peter talking to one of the Combat Stress Regional Therapists - both would give introductory talks about their work and then Peter gave some numbers involved in the running of the charity
For those who, like me, are concerned how charities, particularly the very large ones, spend, or in my view sometimes waste, their donations Combat Stress provided this information and statistics for us to take away.
One significant number for me was that Combat Stress need £16,000,000 a year to cover all of their current commitments.
Compare this with one of the Children's Charities who need over £18,000,000 just to service their London headquarters.
One significant number for me was that Combat Stress need £16,000,000 a year to cover all of their current commitments.
Compare this with one of the Children's Charities who need over £18,000,000 just to service their London headquarters.
Combat Stress is a smaller charity who do apply the majority of their donations to providing treatment to our needy veterans.
The Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, Councillor Lee Mason, came along in full regalia to support the event.
The Mayor is seen here being introduced to Naval Falklands War Veteran Dave who served there on HMS Sheffield.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Sheffield_(D80)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Sheffield_(D80)
I spent my time there sitting at the same table with Dave and intently listened to his personal story.
It was a story of the form of hell that he went through for many years while suffering from 'Post Traumatic Stress Disorder'
He was unable to get help before discovering Combat Stress, making contact and receiving the program of treatment and help that he needed.
It was a story of the form of hell that he went through for many years while suffering from 'Post Traumatic Stress Disorder'
He was unable to get help before discovering Combat Stress, making contact and receiving the program of treatment and help that he needed.
As he recalled the events and his past and current lifestyle I could see in his eyes and hear in his voice change that he was being reminded again of what it felt like back then.
PTSD is incurable but is treatable and his jolly personality did shine through as he mentioned the high spots.
PTSD is incurable but is treatable and his jolly personality did shine through as he mentioned the high spots.
I found it a very worthwhile occasion which I would recommend to anyone if Salisbury is nearby.
As everyone was busy talking to the Mayor I decided to take my leave just as another new group of visitors arrived.
While another coffee and slice of cake beckoned, I needed to be home early.
Frank
Hi Frank
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your feedback on our first ever Coffee, Cake and Combat Stress event. As with anything new, there is a learning curve about how we can improve and what would supporters want from us.
With the next one in Salisbury on the 15th Nov, hopefully the message about Combat Stress and how we help veterans is being spread - especially with your kind help.