For Queen and Country
March 16th, 2008Prior to all that Grand Slam fever, I was delighted to be a guest speaker at a Support for Veterans Meeting, held at the Campanile Hotel in Westlea on Saturday. The event was organised by former RAF Community Psychiatric Nurse Dick Hilling, who lives in West Swindon, and Andy Hack, a former serviceman living in Middleleaze who has set up an organisation called S.M.U.G.S - an acronym meaning Stress Management User Groups. The event was attended by a number of guests, including Deputy Mayor Cllr Steve Wakefield and Anne Snelgrove MP. I was at the meeting from 10am up to 12.15pm.
The aim of the meeting, which lasted the best part of the day, was to explore ways in which support for veterans in the community could be increased. The format was relaxed and friendly, allowing all participants to ask questions and have a real dialogue with speakers. I first met Dick Hilling back in 2005. His story is too long to tell here, but he opened my eyes to the long-lasting physiological and psychological effects of service in a theatre of war, namely the Gulf in 1991.
There was much discussion about medical services available for veterans. Andy Hack’s story was one of much struggle followed by private expenditure in order to obtain the services of the well-known and much respected psychiatrist and PTSD expert, Professor Gordon Turnbull. Anne and I were able to agree about many things - the fact there was a consensus about the importance of veterans in our society was a huge advantage, I said. The question now is: how do we deliver decent support for those people who were prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice for their country? By treating them as professionals with much to offer and by bringing together provision into one overarching structure. This would cover not only health issues, but employment and re-training issues as well.
I reminded delegates about the recently-formed Military Covenant Commission of the Conservative Party, chaired by Frederick Forsyth, whose panel includes the Falklands War veteran Simon Weston. Part of their remit concerns veteran affairs. I am keen to hear from veterans and their families about their experiences, and will pass on information to the Commission - please get in touch with your views.
Andy’s organisation is not solely aimed at ex-service personnel. It deals with the issues of depression, stress and anxiety that can affect all of us. It aims to dispel that sense of isolation that so often accompanies these problems. Andy has been running the website for several years now. I am so impressed with his work that I am going to set up a link from the blog. For more information about S.M.U.G.S, please visit their website at www.smugs.org.uk
As next year’s Mayor of Swindon, Steve Wakefield has organised events for Veterans Week, in late June. Steve has been committed to this issue for some considerable time, and I am sure that Swindon, with its strong service connections and large number of resident veterans, will respond to his enthusiasm in kind.
