Charity supporting ex-military is to open a branch in Jersey

A CHARITY that looks after former members of the armed forces and emergency services and their families is opening a permanent branch in Jersey.

Rock2Recovery Jersey (R2RJ) will bring together serving and former members of the armed forces and “blue light” 999 services suffering from anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder because of their experiences.

Those who have been deeply affected by what they witnessed and who have nowhere to turn are sometimes known to suffer from mental illness and even to take their own lives.

Lee Madden, a former soldier and police officer, chairs R2RJ.

He said: “We often read about serving personnel, veterans and members of the emergency services who have sadly taken their own lives because they’ve not felt able to reach out and talk about the issues they are facing.

“Life is stressful enough on its own, but living with the aftermath of trauma witnessed while serving in our armed forces and emergency services adds extra pressure and stress and can become a vicious cycle.”

He added: “In our experience, reaching out and making the necessary changes to get back on track can make all the difference for those who are suffering, and there is clearly a need in Jersey for a charity like this to continue its valuable work.”

The group already supports 158 people in the Island, including members of the police, fire and ambulance services.

Mr Madden said: “Having a permanent presence in Jersey means that our veterans and 999 community will have dedicated help for when they need it most.”

R2RJ will be holding fundraising events throughout the year, including a ball on 14 September at The Royal Yacht hotel (from 6pm).

The speaker at the event is Mark Ormrod, who was seriously injured while serving in the Royal Marines in Afghanistan in 2007. He is an ambassador for the REORG, a charity that uses Brazilian jiu-jitsu to work with people who have life-altering physical injuries, as well as those suffering debilitating PTSD and depression.

Tickets for the event are available from Mr Madden at lee@gr8recruitment.com.