Judo Jack...Awarded His 10th Dan Black Belt Aged 97 Years.

Our wisest and oldest veteran Jack Hearn has been awarded his 10th Dan black belt in Judo aged 97 years young. Jack is a regular visitor at the Forward Assist HQ and spent his 96th birthday with the charity at our annual veterans retreat in France. Jack epitomises our belief that a life lived well is one lived in the service of others. During the lockdown, keep fit and healthy eating guru Jack has kept in touch with the team and received a fruit hamper for Christmas from a local firm who were in awe of his life long achievements and can do attitude. Read about his remarkable life here: Cramlington's 'Judo' Jack Hearn, 97, gets his 10th Dan black belt and maybe a world record - Chronicle Live

The Importance of Nutrition for Veterans

Common mental health conditions experienced in the veteran community include include anxiety, depression, PTSD and adjustment disorder. This combined with the sometimes poor cooking skills prevalent in veterans due to military culture providing cooked meals in the mess, can often lead to reduced motivation, poor diet and mood swings.

Forward Assist has recently piloted a ‘Healthy Eating’ group led by a qualified Occupational Therapist focusing on developing:

• cooking skills

• planning and preparing nutritional meals

• meal planning and budgeting

This has ensured that veterans are able to make the best nutritional choices for themselves to maintain and regain their health. The impact of diet and exercise on emotional and physical well-being has been well documented however, veteran specific initiatives and research are lacking. One veteran has gained a lot from the pilot and has used the knowledge and skills to continue his healthy lifestyle and lose 5 stone since March 2019.

We want to continue this project and look at the inclusion of spouses and families to ensure a holistic, healthy lifestyle for veterans and their families.