'We will help you get the support needed': Ex-forces wellbeing hub opens in Telford
A new ex-forces wellbeing hub has opened in Telford, offering a host of support to those who have served their country.
The Hub, located at Brookside Community Centre, officially opened on Saturday.
It comes after a successful £20,000 grant from the National Lottery, and provides a dedicated space for fully accredited, non-clinical support for veterans and their families.
The team running the hub is comprised of veterans with lived experience and will provide a vital bridge between military and civilian life through one-to-one coaching and community-led sports projects.
Founder, Stuart Cook, who served five years in the Welsh Guards, said the hub would look to "fill in the gaps" in the support available, and provide help for those who are struggling to manage back in civilian life.
He said: "It is a support service to try and bring the community together. The idea is to come down, have a cup of coffee, a cup of tea, relax, speak to some of the coaches if you need to, but a stress free environment to try and help you along your journey when you are struggling.
"We will help you get the support needed out in the community but we won't just refer you and leave you to it we will hold your hand all the way down.
"We do boxing classes, we do football classes, we do gardening at an allotment down in Sutton Hill, we are just about to open up the rifle range and the axe-throwing range and we also do some education service for online training as well."
Stuart explained how non-clinical support from coaches would help those suffering with post traumatic stress disorder.
He said: "We sit down we play on the computer, watch a bit of TV, go for a walk, and we will do CBT techniques just to help you understand what your emotions are, how they can be triggered. Anything that is more complex and needs more support we partner with a lot of organisations to make sure you get the specialist training needed and support you along the way."
Stuart said that Shropshire has a significant number of veterans, while in Brookside one in ten households has a family member who has been part of the armed services.
Former serviceman Ricky Fergusson, who suffered terrible lifelong injuries serving his country in Afghanistan in 2010, cut the ribbon to officially open the facility and also spoke of the way the centre can help those struggling after leaving the forces.
He said: "The issue is they don't speak out, so centres like this, it is great for someone just to nip down, have a cup of coffee, have a cup of tea, bump into someone else, a bit of squad banter, take the mick out of each other, and then you realise that you're not the only one that's struggling and then you can all have a chat together. I think it should do well."
Telford & Wrekin Mayor Eileen Callear was present for the official opening and said it was great to see the support being made available.
She said: "Just to see a facility like this in a central location where people can pop in, access it whenever they want to, it is so important and the fact it is based around wellbeing for veterans is just a massive benefit.
"It is much needed and really appreciated that they have delivered this in this area."
