Navy fundraiser for charity

Officers at HMS Collingwood held a cake sale and a raffle in support of Combat Stress and SSAFA, the Armed Forces Charity.

Petty Officer Claire Smart said: ‘We’ve recruited families and friends to make gorgeous cakes on sale for everyone to enjoy.

‘I’ve been helped by mental health charities before and I wanted to raise money and awareness of what Combat Stress do because I know they really struggle for funding.’

Keith Edgar, who served at HMS Collingwood in the 1980s, spoke about the value of these charities after he suffered from serious depression relating to his time in the navy.

Keith said: ‘Service people are the worst to admit they have a problem.

‘Even then, you always think someone else deserves the help more, but what you’re feeling is real.

‘I would recommend Combat Stress to anyone because the help is there.

‘You just have to realise that you have a problem.’

Combat Stress has seen a 143 per cent increase in personnel, both serving and veteran, requesting help over the last decade.

The final total raised from a raffle and the cake sale was £880.68.