Help for Heroes campaign seeks messages of hope for struggling veterans

A Devon veteran is asking people in the county to send messages of support this Christmas to veterans who are struggling with physical and mental challenges.

Last Christmas, thousands of people sent messages of hope to isolated veterans, as part of a campaign by Armed Forces charity Help for Heroes. These small acts of kindness encouraged veterans to reach out for life-changing support.

This year, with requests for support surging by 54 per cent, already, year on year, Help for Heroes is looking to encourage more members of the public to reach even more veterans with messages of support and encouragement.

Annette Laurie, 64, from Plymstock, joined the Royal Naval Reserve in 1984, aged 24, in addition to a career as a criminal defence lawyer. In 1999, she moved to full-time Reserve Service and served 26 years in total. She has PTSD and has been supported by Help for Heroes since 2016.

She became an ambassador for the Charity in 2019 and a beneficiary advisory panel member in 2022.

She has seen the impact of loneliness and isolation on former colleagues and said: “During military service, men and women have a strong support network and a close-knit community, but transitioning to civilian life can destroy that.

“Veterans should never be forgotten, at any time of the year, but Christmas, especially, seems to hit hard, when they see so many families and friends getting together. It’s a rotten time too, with grey skies and cold temperatures seeming to match the mood and exacerbating that sense of misery.”

Devon is home to more than 65,000 veterans* and Annette believes there are more in the county who could be helped by Help for Heroes.

She added: “I know from last year that receiving messages from Help for Heroes supporters made a massive difference to some people and showed there are people out there who care. It also encouraged veterans to come forward and get support.

“A simple act of kindness such as a card, a friendly smile or wave, or a simple ‘Hello, how are you’, will go a long way and can prove infectious – please spread the love and send a card.”

Anyone who wants to get involved can simply post a message on the on-line Message Wall, from where Christmas cards with messages of support were sent to more than 9,500 veterans last year.

Help for Heroes supports veterans and their families, from any branch of the UK military – regulars or reserves – irrespective of length or place of service, and locally embedded civilians who worked under the command of UK Armed Forces. The Charity remains at the side of veterans who are struggling, providing life-changing support for as long as it takes.