100-mile walk highlights support for veterans

Morning Briefing: Wednesday, 29th April

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Two Nottinghamshire County Council councillors will walk 100 miles in May for veteran mental health charity Combat Stress. The organisation says it supported nearly 13,000 people from the Armed Forces community last year.

Councillor Kelvin Wright (Reform UK) is the council's Armed Forces Champion. Councillor David Clarke (Reform UK) is one of four Armed Forces Advocates. Both roles represent the interests of veterans and active service men and women in Nottinghamshire.

The pair plan to complete the 160-kilometre challenge during May, "to showcase its military history and links".

The 2021 Census recorded 36,830 veterans across Nottinghamshire and Nottingham City, with 1,853,112 across England and Wales.

“People react to deployments very differently and some of the health issues they suffer from do not surface until many years after an event they've witnessed or experienced," said Councillor Wright. "Combat Stress has been very helpful to me in relation to a patient I once treated in A&E, so I recognise the need for it from my own experience."

Combat Stress recently received renewed accreditation from the Royal College of Psychiatrists. The accreditation is given for delivering high‑quality, evidence‑based mental health services.

Veterans can access NHS mental health services, including the specialist Op COURAGE pathway in England, but charities such as Combat Stress provide additional expertise focused on trauma linked to military service and may benefit from clinicians familiar with military life and its long-term psychological impact.

Supporters can donate to Councillor Wright and Councillor Clarke on their respective fundraiser pages.