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.

Book Launch

Tony Wright, CEO, has recently had an article entitled Saints and Sinners: UK Veterans in the Criminal Justice System, published in The Monument Fellowships’s Crime and Consequence -what should happen to people who commit offences?

Koestler Arts have kindly made the book available for physical sale at £10 - available from the 6th November.

Salute Her Transatlantic Research Trip

In October 2019, Salute Her Women Veteran’s Lead, Paula Edwards, visited the USA to find out about how the Americans care for their women veterans.

Tony Wright shortlisted for English Veteran's Award

In September 2019, Tony Wright CEO was shortlisted for the English Veteran awards. Each year veterans who have gone above and beyond and excelled in their relevant fields. Tony states: -

I was delighted to be nominated for this award and to be placed in such high esteem by other successful veterans. I look forward to working with these people in the future.

Salute Her Women Veteran's Ethnographic Research Project

A copy of the groundbreaking ‘No Mans Land’ research document can be downloaded at https://www.forward-assist.com/salute-her-research

If you would like to discuss any aspect of this research or access help with any of the issues raised please contact the Salute Her team via paula@forward-assist.com

Pearson Engineering CSR Policy Helps Veterans Wake Up & Smell The Coffee!

Veterans’ charity Forward Assist has transformed a Land Rover into a mobile coffee truck to help former service personnel gain new skills.

 The Land Rover 101, which served in the Falklands, was in need of some modifications as staff were having trouble getting in and out of the vehicle with ease.

 Engineers from Pearson were happy to lend a hand and fitted two steps to the driver and passenger sides, two handles and two new spray flaps.

 As a thank you, ‘Barista Bob’ and the Salute Coffee Trust treated the shop floor staff to coffee and biscuits.

Bespoke 'Confronting Conflict’ Training Commissioned For Women Veterans

Forward Assist were delighted to commission Leap Confronting Conflict organisation to design a bespoke project for Women Veterans. The two day group work course was delivered at the Forward Assist HQ in early2019.

Eight women participants attended and completed the workshop. All eight participants who completed the course filled in the evaluation form which contained the following learning outcomes: ▪ Gained an understanding of personal relationship with conflict. ▪ Explore the difference between a reaction and response. ▪ Identified the layers underneath anger. ▪ A greater understanding of patterns of behaviour around conflict. ▪ Practiced a tool for communicating effectively in conflict. ▪ Developed self-care strategies.

We hope to design and develop more ‘gender specific’ interventions for women veterans in the coming months utilising the skills and expertise of a host of others through effective working collaboratives.