Veterans share their experiences in new videos to encourage others to reach out for mental health support
Veterans are sharing their experiences of mental health, recovery and seeking support in a new series of short videos from Midlands Op COURAGE.
Launching during Remembrance Week, the videos feature veterans David, Jennifer, Paul and Stephen, who speak openly about their experiences and the difference getting the right support has made.
While Remembrance Week provides an important moment to launch the videos, they have been created as a lasting resource for veterans, their families, professionals and organisations supporting the Armed Forces community. They will remain available beyond Remembrance to help start conversations, raise awareness of mental health and encourage veterans to reach out when they need support.
Created by Midlands Op COURAGE, an NHS service developed with people who've served in the Armed Forces and experienced mental ill-health, the videos put veterans' voices and lived experience at their heart. By showing the people behind the uniform and reflecting some of the different experiences veterans can face after military service, they aim to help others feel less alone.
The project has been led by Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (BSMHFT) and Dr Helen Brown, Clinical Lead for Midlands Op COURAGE at BSMHFT, working closely with the veterans featured in the videos.
Dr Helen Brown, Clinical Lead for Midlands Op COURAGE at Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, said:
There is something incredibly powerful about hearing directly from veterans about their own experiences. These videos give people space to talk honestly about the challenges they have faced and what has helped them along the way.
We hope that their openness will help others feel understood and recognise that difficult experiences after military service are not something they have to manage alone.
Stephen, a veteran who features in the videos, said:
It's been a real privilege to be involved in the project, and I sincerely hope that sharing my experiences will encourage other veterans to reach out and access the support available to them.
Doug Wing, Operational Lead for Midlands Op COURAGE at Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, said:
Remembrance is a really important time for veterans and the wider Armed Forces community, but we also know it can bring back difficult memories and emotions.
What makes these videos so powerful is that they're veterans telling their own stories, in their own words. We hope someone watching might recognise something of their own experience, realise they're not alone and know that support is out there.
Taking that first step and asking for help isn't always easy, which is why hearing from someone who has been through something similar can make such a difference. I'm incredibly grateful to the veterans who have been so open with us and trusted us to share their experiences.
We're launching the videos during Remembrance Week, but they're not just for Remembrance. We want them to be something veterans, families and those supporting the Armed Forces community can come back to.
Dr Dan Barnard, Midlands Op COURAGE Clinical Lead at Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust, said:
Listening to veterans is fundamental to providing care that genuinely reflects their needs. These videos allow veterans to speak about their experiences in their own words, offering perspectives that clinical expertise alone cannot provide.
Their stories offer a glimpse into some of the realities veterans can experience after military service and help us shape support around the people who need it.
The videos will be shared across Midlands Op COURAGE and its partner organisations. They will be available alongside information about how veterans, service leavers, reservists and their families can access specialist mental health and wellbeing support.
The project was made possible by funding from Birmingham City Council Inclusion Health Grants Programme in partnership with Caring Minds, the registered charity of Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust.
The videos are available to watch on the Midlands Op COURAGE webpages.
About Midlands Op COURAGE
Midlands Op COURAGE is a nationally commissioned NHS specialist service supporting those who have served. Since forming a unified partnership in April 2023, bringing together three NHS trusts and five charities, more than 4,000 people have accessed support.
Midlands Op COURAGE is proudly delivered in partnership by:
- Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
- Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
- Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust
- St Andrew's Healthcare
- Walking With The Wounded
- The Ripple Pond
- Tom Harrison House
- Mental Health Matters
How to access Midlands Op COURAGE
Veterans, their families and health professionals can refer or self-refer to Midlands Op COURAGE by calling 0300 323 0137 or emailing mevs.mhm@nhs.net.
Please visit the Midlands Op COURAGE website for more information.