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    100% of profit goes to veteran support

    4410 veterans and families supported in the last year

    100% of profit goes to veteran support

    4410 veterans and families supported in the last year

    News

    FROM CREATIVE FORCE TO A CAREER - ANDREA BARTLETT

    FROM CREATIVE FORCE TO A CAREER - ANDREA BARTLETT

    Andrea Bartlett served for 12 years in the Royal Army Medical Corps, before being medically discharged in 2011 for an eye condition that affects her optic nerve.

    In 2014 Andrea joined the Band of Brothers Fellowship; a network open to veterans and serving personnel who have served alongside serving forces members.

    In 2018 Andrea exhibited her artwork as part of the Mall galleries, Creative Force exhibition. She says, ''Being involved in the Creative Force exhibition confirmed to me, what I wanted to do as a career, inspiring me to follow my passion for art. It gave me back my passion for painting that I had lost many years ago, since joining the Army. It was from this, that Bart & Eddie Design Studio was created''

    Andrea uses art as a form of relaxation as part of her recovery. ''Art, especially when I paint, relaxes me and settles my anxiety. It's given me so much more confidence and a path to new possibilities. And that's really exciting for me!''.

    Andrea's beautiful artwork has been transformed into striking designs for T-Shirts and tea towels. On having her artwork turned into products she's ''Immensely proud!'', ''It gives me a huge boost in confidence and self-worth, knowing that I'm giving back to a cause close to my heart, and even more so, that it is something that I have created''. 

    Andrea's husband Ian and son Josh joined our photoshoot to wear wonderful creations designed from Andrea's paintings. 

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    Follow Andrea on Instagram: bart and eddie design

    ART GIVES SARAH A HELPING HAND TO HEAL

    ART GIVES SARAH A HELPING HAND TO HEAL

    Sarah Newman served for 26 years in the Royal Military Police, 12 years of which was spent within the Forensic Department, dealing with repatriations and many other distressing scenes. She was medically discharged in December 2017 with PTSD. 

    ''When I was first diagnosed with PTSD I had been stationed in Newquay Cornwall, I had pretty much been left to deal with my situation on my own, I became very isolated. This was probably the lowest point in my life''. 

    In 2016 Sarah found Help for Heroes and began undertaking several courses, she says, ''It became my home from home. I believe after all this time that I can still return to the comfort and safety of Help for Heroes should I need to''. 

    While at Tedworth House Sarah was introduced to art, through art teacher Jenny Arthy. ''Through the encouragement of Jenny and several visits to the art room, I believe I had found my niche, it helped me to relax, and to disappear into my own little world where nothing could ''get at me'', the intrusive thoughts and stresses would simply not be there. It became my safe zone''. 

    To anyone buying from the Help for Heroes shop Sarah says, ''I believe that purchasing anything from Help for Heroes is helping towards the much-needed rehabilitation of others that are not so fortunate. Everybody deserves a second chance at life and Help for Heroes can provide that through the continued support and assistance of others''. 

    We caught up with Sarah in the art room at Tedworth House to unveil her Helping Hands wire sculpture design, transformed into a wonderful new T-Shirt. 

     

    Artwork created by Sarah, including her Helping Hands sculpture. 

     

    '' I found that Help for Heroes gave me back my sense of purpose and belonging, and that I was somebody that mattered. Being amongst like-minded people and the wonderful staff who honestly cared about what you were going through made the healing process a lot easier. It became my home from home''.  Sarah Newman

    FROM HIDDEN WOUNDS TO HELPING OTHERS

    FROM HIDDEN WOUNDS TO HELPING OTHERS

    Matt Neve was a Senior Aircraftman in the Royal Air Force before being discharged in 2004. Following mental health difficulties, which led to several challenges including depression, Matt felt a lack of self-worth and purpose. 

    In 2016 Matt joined Help for Heroes' Band of Brothers fellowship and began recieving help from our Hidden Wounds service for this mental health and engaged with Sports Recovery, which introduced him to archery. A grant from Help for Heroes enabled Matt to buy his own kit and benefit from sport. In 2017 Matt was selected to compete in the Invictus Games in Toronto.

    He said, ''The focus of archery, when I am looking down the range at the target, I just switch off and all the tension builds in the draw of the arrow and then it goes with the arrow when it's released. It's an escape''. 

    Matt regularly takes part in Community Recovery activities in Wales and has taken part in positive challenges, like trekking across the Sahara desert, and has represented Help for Heroes in his home city of Swansea where he met Prince Charles at a civic event. Matt said, '' To be asked to so that was quite an honour. It was a real privilege to be asked to represent the Charity at such a prestigious event, so it was really nice to be able to go along and have a chat with him about how Help for Heroes has helped me and my family''. 

    Matt is a keen fundraiser for Help for Heroes, undertaking sponsored Motorcycle rides and supporting other veterans needing help. He was part of the Help for Heroes 'Cut the Clock' campaign, encouraging veterans to come forward for mental health support. 

    ''I got involved with the Cut the Clock campaign because, for me, it was all about trying to reach out to those that either don't feel they deserve support or they don't think they need support. And it's about reaching out to them. They may be isolating themselves at home or isolating themselves away from anyone else''.

    Matt and Zoe joined us on our Christmas photoshoot on a very warm July day! On taking part in the photoshoot Matt said, ''It's been great fun, I've really enjoyed doing it, but it's just a bit mad wearing bobble hats at the end of July! But it's been really good fun''. 

    TRIUMPH OVER ADVERSITY

    TRIUMPH OVER ADVERSITY

    Gus Mclean served in the Royal Scots for 3 years – with tours in the first Gulf war and in Ireland, before transferring to the Corps of Army music where he played the flute. He took the decision to leave the army in 1996 for a career change into welding which he did for many years before the impact of his army years saw him suffer a breakdown.

    In 2014 Gus found Help for Heroes and a love of doing arts and crafts which he says, ‘’helped me get to a better place mentally and gives me a better outlook for the future’’. ‘’Art helps me with my concentration. It makes things so simple, you don’t get anything wrong, even if you don’t like it at the end. It’s like the time you spend not thinking about your problems it just helps towards your recovery, it gives you a break from your anxiety’’.

    Gus has designed a fantastic range of clothing for our AW19 collection. The premium Triumph range has taken patriotic influences and mixed this with two helping hands into an embroidered emblem across the collection. The stand- out ‘Old School Tattoo’ T-Shirt is inspired by Gus’ tattoo style art and incorporating Helping for Heroes into a scroll effect. Gus says,’’ The fact that my design is going to raise money for Help for Heroes is brilliant.’’

    ‘Your money is doing more than you can imagine, helping family's get back on their feet - to some kind of normality. It’s something to be proud of’’. Gus Mclean, Veteran

     

     

    The stand-out ‘Old School Tattoo’ T-Shirt is inspired by Gus’ tattoo style art and incorporating Helping for Heroes into a scroll effect. Gus says,’’ The fact that my design is going to raise money for Help for Heroes is brilliant.’’ 

     

    A UNION OF PASSION & CREATIVITY

    A UNION OF PASSION & CREATIVITY

    Former Army Sergeant, Darren Carew had hopes of joining the military since a small child as well as becoming a rugby player. His dreams were realised after joining the Royal Welsh Regiment in 1998. ‘’Going into the Royal Regiment of Wales gave me an opportunity to be a soldier and a rugby player – so it was like a match made in heaven – and to be honest I flourished with the time in the military, I found who I wanted to be – grew - met friends I will always have’’.

    In 2008, after transferring to 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards in 2005, Darren was injured while on patrol in Afghanistan. His life changed when the armoured vehicle he was travelling in rolled over an explosive device, injuring Darren and two others. Consequently, Darren sustained injuries leading to the loss of his left leg. ‘’Getting ripped out of that environment – and all of your friends that you’ve been fighting alongside to being there (in hospital) was extremely challenging, mentally and physically. Coping with the injuries you have – to coming to terms with the sudden change – its trauma.‘’

    Now, in a much better place, Darren says ‘’Help for Heroes have had a direct impact on my progression post-injury’’. After being rehabilitated Darren focused on sports recovery, '' I was part of the GB team for the Warrior Games, with an eye towards competing at Invictus but during that competition I found my passion for coaching and gave up competing to help others.''

    Darren now works as the Disability Rugby Coordinator for the welsh Rugby Union and has worked closely with the Help for Heroes Community Recovery Team in Wales, delivering Rugby Coaching Training and wheelchair rugby sessions. He's now able to make a difference on a daily basis.  

    Darren proudly models the Proud to Support Union Jack Polo, £30. Shop the Proud to Support collection here