Boots on the Ground – new support for veterans in Powys

Melvin Watts recently took on a new role as a Veterans' Mental Health Advocate (South Wales - including Powys) with Alabare - a charity supporting vulnerable, homeless and marginalised people – to roll out a project called Boots on the Ground across Wales. The new project will work to support veterans and their families.

We met Melvin to find out more about Boots on the Ground and why it is needed in Powys.

Tell us more about your new role and what drew you to the work

Boots on the Ground is a social enterprise supporting vulnerable veterans through outdoor activities. I work with veterans to identify activities / training and development that will help them become better equipped to find their place in the community. It also helps them build self-esteem and rediscover their limits.

As a veteran myself, I have had the privilege and honour to work alongside service personnel from all walks of life and backgrounds. I have seen the hardships they endure without complaint and seen the good humour they show through adversity. I wish to help those that may have fallen on difficult times, so that they may lead a more fulfilling life after the hardships they have endured for the country, and ensure they know that they are not forgotten by society.

What are the aims of the Boots on the Ground project

The project supports veterans on their journey towards improved mental health, wellbeing and community connection by creating new pathways driven through active engagement.

Many veterans have faced extreme challenges since leaving service. The scheme aims towards building self-esteem, resilience and skills by providing increased purpose in a friendly supportive atmosphere.

By working with organisations and groups in the local community we focus on a range of activity-based and personal development workshops, that can be tailored towards small veteran groups, across North & South Wales. Some of the activities that take place include wellbeing walks, social forestry, bushcraft, conservation, horticulture, litter picking hubs and Veterans’ Breakfast Clubs.

How do you define the term “veteran”?

A veteran is anyone who has served one day’s service with the Armed Forces, whether it be as a reservist or full time member.

Attending the "Big Sleep” at the Tower of London

 to raise money for homeless veterans

Tell us more about why veterans in Powys might need the kind of support you offer?

Veterans everywhere may at some stage suffer from mental health issues, alcohol / drug addiction, homelessness or feel lonely. They may be out of work and looking to retrain or having retired they may wish to feel less isolated and just enjoy activities with like-minded people. Intervention helps reduce the risk of harm to individuals and their families.

How can Powys veterans access the service?

They can refer themselves by emailing M.Watts@alabare.co.uk

What barriers might prevent veterans seeking support and how do you work to overcome those?

We take each case on its merits and will look at them on an individual basis.

Are there particular issues which arise in rural areas for veterans struggling with their mental health?

The biggest thing is isolation, and this can be overcome by a network of volunteers and staff who will where possible either transport individuals or visit in their own home.

What kind of activities does Boots on the Ground offer to support veterans in Powys?

Bushcraft, wood turning, canoeing, fishing, walking, cycling, swimming, horse riding…. The list is endless.

Veterans on a fishing trip

Which other organisations do you work closely with, either locally in Powys, or in the rest of the UK, to provide support to people?

So many! But to list some of them - Armed Forces Covenant, Woodys Lodge, Equus Ferrus, Royal British Legion, Military Preparation College for Training, In the Squad, Dyfed Powys Police, National Probation Service, HMP Parc Many Teras, Action Petz, and Transport For Wales.

What is the most challenging aspect of the job?

There are no challenges, just solutions that I haven’t found yet. (Funding can be difficult but there are so many fantastic agencies or private companies that are supportive and go out of their way to help).

What is the most rewarding aspect of your work?

Meeting veterans, hearing their stories and finding a path together.

When you are not working for Alabare, how do you enjoy spending your time?

Cycling, fishing, walking and spending time with my wife while we visit friends and family all over the UK. I am studying some language skills and read all types of books including classics and military history.

Melvin's dog after their walk up Pen y Fan

Many thanks to Melvin for telling us about the Boots on the Ground project. If you would like to find out more or request a referral form you can contact Melvin by emailing: M.Watts@alabare.co.uk

Further support for veterans is available in Powys (and across Wales). Find out more on the Veterans NHS website.

PTSD in the Armed Forces: The Bomb Disposal Officer’s Tale

Chris Hunter Operating in Iraq in 2020

by guest author Major Chris Hunter QGM

Lord Moran, the much-celebrated physician of Winston Churchill’s, talked of soldiers having a stock of courage. Essentially, his theory was that people can be subjected to stress and trauma for a certain amount of time, but that each of us has a set ‘level’ of tolerance; and, crucially, once that level runs down to a dangerous level, if we are withdrawn from the stressful environment immediately we can replenish it, but if we fail to do so in time, it reaches a critical level after which permanent damage sets in.

Throughout my career I’ve witnessed countless traumatic incidents but, in 1995, as a young officer serving in Bosnia, I reached that critical level. Ten thousand Muslims were massacred during our tour and my troop and I experienced genocide at first hand.

Within months of returning home I found myself suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. I’d begun to fall off the rails and was really starting to lose my way and question whether I was really making a difference and if I was worthy of leading soldiers at all.

Chris neutralising a mock-up of a Remote Controlled Improvised Explosive Device

Brummie, my Troop Sergeant, gave me some amazing advice; he was a tough man who was no stranger to hardship. He’d spent time in both a young offenders’ institute and the elite French Foreign Legion before joining the British Army’s Pioneers but, despite his tough exterior, I soon realised that he was an extremely sensitive man who showed compassion and humility in abundance.

He sat and calmly listened to me as I struggled to articulate my anxieties and then, having listened and taken in every word, he gave me some advice that has sustained me through every challenge I’ve ever faced since. He told me that I’d never be able to solve all the world’s problems in one go, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t try to solve them one at a time. ‘A lot of good men fail because they try too hard to be perfect,’ he said, ‘and you know what? It’s all right just to be good. You can be a good enough husband, father, soldier, and still be a success.’

I’ll never forget those inspirational moments with him as he tried to shape me into a leader. Moreover, he taught all of us that worked with him that even in the macho culture of the Army that it’s OK to be scared. Through him we learned the true meaning of courage; namely that courage isn’t about never being scared, it’s about having the ability to muster up the inner strength to overcome your fears when you are. He was a very wise man, and pretty soon I learned, amongst other things, to rationalise the traumatic experiences I’d witnessed and, in doing so, I learned to overcome fear and stress.

Chris is also a motivational speaker

Six months after my Bosnia tour ended, I was driving into the British Army’s headquarters in Northern Ireland and witnessed two deadly IRA car bombs explode in a packed car park inside the barracks. It was rush hour, so as you can imagine, the first bomb caused numerous injuries; the second exploded a few minutes later, this time outside the medical centre. It had been placed there deliberately to target the wounded. I was truly sickened by the callousness of the attacks, but hugely inspired by the bravery of the bomb disposal operators who searched the remaining hundreds of parked cars by hand while those at risk were busy being evacuated. That was the moment I decided I was going to be a bomb technician. That moment was my calling.

Walking up to a terrorist bomb and neutralising it is one of the most terrifying yet gratifying experiences imaginable. When you and your team witness the truly terrible effects of a terrorist bomb and the devastating effect it has on people’s lives it really is heart-breaking. But when one is found and you are able to make it safe, and prevent that scene of carnage from re-occurring, there’s no feeling like it. It’s also one of the most exciting and adrenalin fuelled ‘rushes’ I’ve ever experienced, and those two aspects combined make it a potent and very addictive vocation.

Chris operating as an Army Bomb Disposal Operator in Iraq in 2004

On May 8th, 2004 we’d neutralised three bombs in Southern Iraq over the course of the day and had been out on the ground for over 16 hours without a break. Just as we were entering the City, looking forward to climbing into our beds, my team and I were ambushed in one of the most terrifying incidents I’d ever experienced. But as the bullets and grenades exploded into life around us, and in spite of our natural instinct to want to curl up in the foot-wells of our vehicles, we realised that the only way we’d stand any chance of survival was to overcome the paralysing fear and take the fight back to the enemy. I was convinced that my team and I would probably all be killed, but when you’re staring death in the face, it’s amazing how natural the body’s desire to survive really is. We took a deep breath, summed up a deep dark fury from the pits of our stomachs and violently fought fire with fire. 

Miraculously, we all managed to come out of it alive. But the next morning we had to go straight back out to deal with more bombs - and had to drive through the ambush site again. There wasn’t time to get over the shock; it was truly unsettling. On reflection, not only did I realize that life is finite, I also realised the true importance of staying focused and keeping your sense of humour when things go pear-shaped.

Obviously, being ambushed and shot at was extremely traumatic but every bomb I walked up to was also highly stressful. As you take that long walk up to the Improvised Explosive Device (IED), often carrying in excess of 150 lbs of equipment, your pulse is racing and every sense is on full alert. You clear your mind of all the day to day nonsense like what you’re going to have for dinner that night; what bills have to be paid; and how your team is doing in the league, and instead you focus solely on the bomb. Where it is, how it might be constructed, and what the bomb-maker who designed that attack is trying to achieve. Is he trying to kill innocent civilians; is he trying to kill the police or members of the security forces; or is he trying to kill me?! The device might just be an obvious come-on that’s been placed to lure me into the area so that I can be killed by something more sinister. In essence, you’re playing a game of extreme chess with the bomber every time you take that long walk. But while you never fixate on death or failure – ever – in the back of your mind you have to maintain a healthy measure of paranoia... because at any moment you know that your time or luck could run out.

Total failure or complete success... 

Chris cuts the detonator out of an Improvised Explosive Device in Iraq in February 2020

People often ask why we do it; I know some do it for the ­ adrenalin rush, others to seek atonement for darker episodes in their lives. But I think most do it out of a good old-fashioned sense of duty – just because they want to make a difference. For me, I guess it was a bit of all three.

I suppose the real question is what makes us stay? There’s something immensely gratifying about neutralising a weapon designed to kill and maim large numbers of people. Everybody I know who does it is absolutely hooked. It has to be one of the most interesting jobs on the planet. It didn’t just challenge and motivate me mentally; the fact that we got to save the lives of thousands of people we didn’t know and would more than likely never meet, was massively inspiring on a ­ spiritual level too. Not a single day goes by now when somebody isn’t killed by an IED. Every device I could neutralise took me one step closer to tracing and bringing down the groups responsible.

But I guess that, if I put my hand on my heart, the biggest, most powerful incentive is the buzz. Rendering safe a terrorist bomb is probably the most exciting thing I’ve ever done without getting arrested. The rush I get from dealing with a device is fearsome. Like all aspects of soldiering, it’s truly elemental; a world where everything is often black and white; a world of straightforward choices. Life and death... both yours and the people you’re trying to save.

It comes at a cost, of course. One minute you’re standing at the cliff’s edge, just you and the bomb, pushing it to the max; the next you’re at home with your wife and kids, trying to come down and be normal again. And if you’re living on the edge, eventually you’re going to go all the way over. If you’re lucky, you see the signs and decide it’s time to pull back and step away. But maybe by then it’s already too late.

Major Chris Hunter the author

It’s worth noting that the number of soldiers who died through suicide, or who received open verdicts after returning home from the Falklands, is more than a third of the 237 who were lost there in action. An investigation by the BBC's ‘Panorama’ also revealed that 21 serving soldiers and 29 veterans were thought to have committed suicide in 2012, a number that exceeds the 40 soldiers who died fighting over in Afghanistan during the same period. And in the final year of the Afghan conflict there were more ex-military in prison, on parole or serving community sentences than were deployed in the country. Post-traumatic stress disorder is a very real phenomenon.

But on the plus side our servicemen also become more resilient in time. The more we are exposed to stress and trauma, the more resilience we build up, and the higher our tolerance – or stock of courage – to it, becomes. That is what happened with me, I believe. I definitely witnessed far more traumatic experiences after Bosnia, in places such as Iraq, Afghanistan and during the 7/7 bombings. But, by recognising my critical levels of tolerance to stress, and by learning to rationalise what I witnessed and experienced, I seem to have learned to cope with virtually any traumatic experience that has come my way so far.

When I watch the news, return from a war-zone or indeed speak with other friends who’ve recently returned from conflict, I realize that little changes. The world continues to be dangerous and un­predictable and, for the members of our armed forces still operating, the switch continues to flick rapidly and repeatedly from full-off to full-on. And yet despite the risks and the trauma, they love what they do. It’s a vocation, a way of life. And if you asked a veteran if he or she would do it all over again, you’d get the same answer every time:

“…in a heartbeat!”

Chris Hunter is a broadcaster, motivational speaker and former British Army bomb disposal operator. He is the best-selling author of the non-fiction titles: Eight Lives Down and Extreme Risk and is a regular contributor to television & radio news and current affairs programmes. For his actions during his Iraq tour Chris was awarded the Queen’s Gallantry Medal by HM Queen Elizabeth II.

This Saturday 27 June is Armed Forces Day, a chance to show support for the men and women who make up the Armed Forces community.

There are many organisations providing support to the Armed Forces community. 

The PAVO mental health team has pulled together a list:

Support for Service Personnel & their families

Cefnogaeth i Bersonel y Gwasanaeth a'u teuluoedd

Veterans NHS Wales – on military mental health

Victoria Williams, Veterans' Lead, Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board (left)
and Vanessa Bailey, Veterans' Lead Therapist Aneurin Bevan University Health Board (right) 

This week’s guest post is from Victoria Williams, the Lead Veteran Therapist at Veterans' NHS Wales service (VNHSW) based in Swansea's health board - Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board. The team also covers the Ystradgynlais area of South Powys.

Veterans are defined by Public Health Wales as “anyone who has served for at least one day in HM Armed Forces (Regular or Reserve) or Merchant Navy Seafarers and Fishermen who served in a vessel at a time it was operated to facilitate military operation by HM Armed Forces”.

Veterans' NHS Wales service is there to help ex-service personnel living with service related mental health problems. I caught up with Victoria to find out more about provision of this invaluable service in Powys. 

Tell us more about your role as a Lead Veterans' Therapist and what drew you to the work

I’ve been working for Veterans’ NHS Wales since 2011 for the ABMU health board. Having worked in mental health for over 20 years I recognised that I wanted to work in a service that specialised in working with military veterans and this was an ideal opportunity.

What kind of support is available to veterans in Powys?

Powys enjoys the same level of service from Veterans’ NHS Wales as anywhere in Wales. You can download a map showing the 3 out-patient clinics, based in Welshpool, Neath and Bronllys.

Why might veterans require this service?

Veterans’ NHS Wales is a psychological therapy out-patient service offering therapy for veterans with service related mental health difficulties. This means that anyone who's finding it difficult to cope after they have left the military, if they think their issues might be ‘service related’, are able to self refer to us. We will then offer an initial assessment of their needs and from there a management plan will be put in place.

Mark Birkill, Veterans' Therapist in North Powys

How can Powys veterans access the service? Who can refer a veteran for the service?

VNHSW is the Welsh Government funded NHS mental health service offering therapy for issues related to military service. It’s important to note that ANYONE can refer into the service. We offer an open access policy meaning that people are able to self-refer via the website. We do find a lot of people think they have to go via the GP but this isn’t necessary.

Once referred an opt-in form is sent asking the veteran for extra details and proof of identity. When we have this information we aim to offer an assessment within 4 weeks. The assessment will look at all aspects of the current situation and look at how we can best support you.

The Powys Veterans' service is delivered by neighbouring health boards. How does this work?

VNHSW is a ‘hub and spoke model’. This means we are one service centrally based in Cardiff with our ‘spokes’ throughout the other 6 health boards in Wales. Powys is covered by 3 health boards but because we are ‘one service’ it therefore has no impact on the service a veteran will receive. If there are any doubts as to where your clinic is based then individuals can contact us (see details on the map or go to our website) and we can point the individual in the right direction. For example, if the veteran's GP surgery is based in the Abertawe Bro Morgannwg health board, then the veteran would be seen in our out-patient clinic in Neath.

A Veterans' service is very specialist. What training do Veterans' Therapists undertake?

All veterans' therapists are trained psychotherapists with training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR). Both therapies are what we call ‘evidenced based therapies’ for treatment of a variety of mental health difficulties. In addition we receive additional specialist training in military mental health difficulties.

Oxana Jones, Veterans' Therapist in South Powys

Are there other agencies Powys veterans can contact for support with their mental health or other issues such as debt management or armed forces compensation?

Veterans’ NHS Wales has a network of agencies working throughout Wales offering support for many different issues. We currently have a peer mentor support worker who is able to help veterans link in with the most appropriate agency to help with their needs.

What has been the most challenging aspect of running the Veterans' NHS Wales service?

One of the most challenging but rewarding aspects of the role is the increasing number of referrals we’ve received since we started 10 years ago. Initially this led to an increase in the time veterans were waiting to be seen for therapy. However, with the support of Welsh Government, which has recently increased our funding, this has meant that we’ve been able to extend the input of psychiatrists and administrators can give to the service. We’ve also been very lucky to receive additional funding from the charity Help for Heroes over the next 3 years and this has led to an increase in the number of therapists in the service leading to shorter waiting times.

Tell us about some of the most rewarding work you have done with the Veterans' NHS Wales service so far

Being able to speak to someone who isn’t aware that there is help for the problems they are presenting with. Also helping someone to make sense of why they feel the way they do, and offering an evidenced based psychological therapy to reduce their symptoms and improve their general daily functioning, is pretty rewarding stuff.

When you are not working, how do you enjoy spending your time?

As a mother to two teenage boys and two dogs I tend to be very busy but you can often find me on the beach with my dogs or eating cake, I’m a big fan of cake.

Many thanks to Victoria for telling us about the Veterans' NHS Wales service in Powys. If you would like to contact her, please email: victoria.williams4@wales.nhs.uk

Change Step - led by veterans for veterans

Stephen Jones has recently taken on a new role with the charity Kaleidoscope. 

He works to support veterans and their families in Powys, particularly in respect of any problems associated with military service and the transition to civilian life. 

A lot has been written about the mental health of service and ex-service personnel, such as this 2013 report from the Mental Health Foundation.

We asked Stephen to tell us more about his new role and why it is needed in Powys.

You seem to have two separate but linked roles - tell us more

I have recently become the Listen In Project Co-ordinator for Change Step – this role sees me supporting families, friends and carers of veterans to aid in promoting recovery from problems associated with military service and the transition to civilian life.

I am also currently a Change Step peer mentor aiding the veterans themselves, providing a unique peer-led service.

What led you to these particular roles?

As a veteran myself, and a volunteer for Kaleidoscope (the substance misuse service in Powys), my personal journey is and can be seen to be very similar to those who I support.

Steve at Ystradgynlais Welfare Club

How do you define the term “veteran”?

A veteran is anyone who has served one day's service with the Armed Forces, whether it be as a reservist or full time member.

Tell us more about why veterans in Powys need the kind of support you offer?

It can be a very daunting process, leaving the military to joining civilian life, with there being many changes to day to day life. Sometimes it can appear to be a lonely process and there are many new challenges ahead for those leaving the forces. In particular some veterans may be experiencing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), or issues surrounding family life, housing, and also substance/alcohol misuse. I feel that anyone leaving the military may benefit from a quick chat with someone who has been in their shoes and understands these unique issues.

Do you know how many veterans there are in Powys? What barriers might prevent them seeking support and how do you work to overcome those?

I would imagine that there are many veterans in Powys, and we also have a large Gurkha population in the county. Powys is a very rural area, which could present as a barrier within itself. I work Powys-wide, so can travel to see those who cannot travel to see me, helping those in remote areas.

Trust is also a barrier, which is where Change Step and Listen In assist greatly as we are veterans supporting veterans.

Are there particular issues which arise in rural areas for veterans experiencing mental distress?

I think it is hard for anyone suffering mental distress, and I think the main issue is being heard, supported and knowing where to go for that support.

Steve at Dering Lines Army Camp 

Drink Drive Awareness Day

What kinds of activities are available to support veterans in Powys, and in your experience which are found to be the most appreciated and/or useful?

There are various support groups in Wales such as Combat Stress, Veterans Wales, Royal British Legion (RBL), SSAFA (Soldiers Sailors Airmen & Families Association) and many more. I am having meetings with the RBL and hope to open drop in centres in some of the major towns in Powys, where veterans can pop in for a cuppa and a chat.

What support is needed by the families of veterans who struggle to make the transition to civilian life? What is your role here? 

It can be hard for veterans to adjust, however it is also hard for the families to adjust – they may have lived apart for some time and be used to a different lifestyle, maybe in military accommodation in this country or abroad.

They will also potentially see their family member 24/7 for the first time, and also experience issues surrounding witnessing their family member suffering with PTSD. They could feel isolated and not sure where or who to turn to.

What is the most challenging aspect of the job?

I think that the main challenge with my role is making sure that I can reach all those who need our support – there are a lot of veterans and families who may need support however have not yet heard of Change Step or Listen In, something which we are working hard on changing.

Can veterans sign up to volunteer with the project? If so, what are the criteria for people who are interested, and what kind of roles are available?

Yes, and we would like to see veterans signing up as this in itself can help alleviate some issues surrounding isolation or boredom, and also help those who have not yet referred into the service. Contact us for further information.

When you are not working for Kaleidoscope, how do you enjoy spending your time?

I am a keen fisherman and spend a lot of my spare time at the coast. I also enjoy camping in the summer months.
 

Many thanks to Stephen for taking time out to update us about his new role. You can contact him at Kaleidoscope: 9 Castle Street, Brecon, LD3 9DD, tel: 01874 622333, mobile: 07738 320 390, or email stephen.jones@kaleidoscopeproject.org.uk

Tonic: surfing for mental health

Every now and again in our team we are lucky enough to meet up with our counterparts in other parts of Wales. Two weeks ago we travelled down to Carmarthen to the office of West Wales Action for Mental Health. We spent an enjoyable and extremely interesting day finding out about the many diverse and innovative projects the staff and volunteers are currently working on. Check out The Recovery Wall project on the organisation’s website, which is using digital media to promote recovery and wellbeing, and Mind Your Heart – a health promotion programme for people living with mental health problems…. not to mention the excellent work with veterans over the past couple of years, which should probably have a separate blog post all of its own – just keep watching this space!

And then there is Tonic – the surfing therapy project…. 

Shôn Devey, the Development Worker leading on Tonic, told us more. He started from a very personal viewpoint.

Ton is Welsh for wave. Staff here realised that they had this fantastic natural environment on their doorstep. Who doesn’t feel better when they go to the beach? Yet some people who live near a beach never go. I ride the waves for my own mental health and wellbeing. It was like a dream come true when Angie Darlington (the WWAMH director) asked me to develop this project.

Tonic was set up 4 years ago. People spend so much time in hideous rooms for their therapy sessions. We thought maybe they’d feel better for being in this great outdoor space. Add an activity as well and you have the extra health benefits of that. Put people into groups – and then you have social interaction. Isolation is a big problem for people locally.

At first people think – “I don’t think I can do this”. It’s a metaphor for other areas of their lives. But engaging with surfers is actually a cool activity. The moment participants enter the water they’re connected with the world’s oceans. It is like putting on a new skin (literally – in the form of a wetsuit). People are suddenly all equal – the teachers, volunteers, participants. We connect with marine mammals - there have been dolphins circling us in the water. Afterwards we’ve had participants volunteering to clean up the beach and engaging with the wider world. 

The programme is open to anyone with mental health problems, a carer of any kind, veterans, and those who’ve experience of substance misuse or alcohol addiction. The current age range is 11 – 72. We have a 72 year old woman who surfs through the winter along with a group of other women. They find that being tumbled and battered in the waves is good for their wellbeing. It’s a really constructive activity for carers and the cared for to take part in together. Children will come along with their parents because it’s “cool!”

All the kit is provided for the 6 week long programme which works out of beaches at Borth, Poppit and Newgale. Participants spend 2 hours in the water, with an hour preparing. So it’s an afternoon each week. Then afterwards we socialise together. We use a lot of volunteers in the water and have developed rigorous health and safety procedures. Volunteers help participants to see their success. Everyone has lots of fun. At the end of each course we have a BBQ and celebration.

People are “wide open” straight after the surfing session so there is a period when it is possible to work on things. We have links to surf therapy projects around the World. In South Africa, working with young people from the townships, after the surfing they run beach school and hold HIV/sexual health sessions. Ultimately we would like to offer a menu of options around engaging with the ocean environment, such as dolphin watching, footpath maintenance and beach clearing. 

This is our fourth season, and there has been a development pathway through the programme. Some participants go on to become project volunteers and then surf instructors. We have trained 12 instructors so far. But the project is not so much about the surfing as about spending time with people in the natural environment. And giving good care and attention to people is key.

It’s also important to help keep people in the water after the programme has finished. One of the volunteer surf teachers runs a Saturday club through the winter which anyone can join. And there is a virtual surf club on Facebook. We are also hoping to develop a physical space at Borth – more information coming soon!

WWAMH is working with Swansea University to evaluate the project. So far across a small sample of people it has been shown to have a significant effect upon people’s mental and physical wellbeing, to the extent that it sits alongside medication as a valid option. Some participants come off a hospital ward, they may be “zombied”, or over-medicated – and then they “wake up” with the first woosh of a wave. It is absolutely incredible. People talk about their new “healthy” addiction.

After tumbling in the waves one of the participants said: “I was brainwashed! I came and my mind was all crumpled and full of anxiety. It was as though someone took my brain out, cleaned it and put it back in my head.”

Tonic has been highly commended in the NHS Awards and is now beginning to be accepted as mainstream, with a 2 year service level agreement being set up with the Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) team. The project is also in the process of being established as an independent charity with a board of trustees. Future development opportunities include weekend packages for groups – a sort of mental health tourism. Suddenly people really want to be a part of it!

Powys meets West Wales!

Back row: WWAMH - Lewis Phillips - IT Officer, Shon Devey & Charles Macmillan - Development Officers. 

Our team - Freda Lacey (Participation Officer), Jane Cooke (Interim Senior Officer Mental Health), Jackie Newey (Projects Officer) & Glynis Luke (Admin, Information & Communications Officer).

Front row: WWAMH - Marie Wright & Tim Teeling - Development Officers, Angie Darlington - Director, 

Jan Batty - Mind Your Heart programme Development Officer.

Shôn’s enthusiasm for the project is infectious. We all agreed it is an absolutely brilliant project, and wish we had the seaside here in Powys (though Borth is not that far away for some of us)! What kind of physical activity project would you be interested in here? Let us know.