Beyond the Battlefield received funding from The armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust who where the Administrators for the Covid-19 Impact Programme on behalf of the Ministry Of Defence and the Cabinet Office following their allocation of Emergency Funding from DCMS and Her Majesty’s Treasury in response to the Covid Pandemic.
Beyond the Battlefield in Newtownards assists Veterans of the Army, Navy and Royal Air Force. Our Chairman Mr Robert McCartney (MBACP) has won many Awards for Best Veterans Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Support Specialist UK wide. During Covid-19 Beyond the Battlefield client numbers spiked to capacity of NI Veterans and their families contacting the Organisation because of issues they were experiencing due to Lockdown. We have had increasing numbers of distressing phone calls and an immense increase in attempted suicides during the Pandemic. Veterans often isolate due to PTSD however, during lock down the demand for support and Counselling escalated out of control. This alongside other issues such as job losses and financial difficulties meant many Veterans resorted to increased alcohol abuse and various other overlapping conditions. This funding from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust is detrimental to the survival of Beyond the Battlefield to deliver much needed Services and is pivotal to the daily living of NI Veterans. Failure to secure this funding would have had an adverse effect on NI Veterans and their families. I have no doubt there would have been many more attempted suicides and additional conditions arising. Beyond the Battlefield are indebted to The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust for their acknowledgement of Services required and this much needed funding for NI Veterans and their families. Due to the increase in Veterans presenting to Beyond the Battlefield, without this vital funding Veterans would have been signposted back to an already over stretched Mental Health Service who have been referring to Beyond the Battlefield for some years now. This funding will save lives, and time in getting NI Veterans the specialist help they require.
Annemarie Hastings Chief Executive
Contact: Beyond the Battlefield Tel: 02891228389
