Military veterans unite in Portsmouth to create messages of hope after coronavirus pandemic nightmare

About 50 ex-forces heroes and their families came together on South Parade Pier in Southsea as part of post-pandemic gathering, staged by charity Help For Heroes.

The event was the first major one organised by the military support network since the start of the coronavirus crisis and was a vital opportunity for those who have been supported by Help For Heroes to socialise.

But it was also a chance for veterans, some horrifically injured or psychologically traumatised by their military service, to express how they felt and to write messages of inspiration in pebbles on the pier’s boardwalk.

The messages were the brainchild of Portsmouth veteran Graham Culton, whose own pebble messages during lockdown had inspired people across the city to think about their own mental health.

Graham, who served in the Queen’s Own Highlanders and did tours in Bosnia and Northern Ireland before being medically discharged due to physical and mental health issues, was touched by being invited to join the day.

He said: ‘To see how far this concept has come and how it can inspire people and create a community means the world to me.

‘Everybody is going through their own individual battles and to be able to offer inspiration to other people through a concept that my daughter inspired me to do years ago, is great.’

Among those taking part included Gosport’s own forces’ hero, John Shepard.

The 41-year-old army veteran served in the Royal Logistics Corps for six years before being medically discharged with post-traumatic stress disorder in 2014.

Since then, he has struggled with crippling anxiety that made it a constant mental battle to simply leave the safety of his home.

But with the support of Help for Heroes and of the Portsmouth-based Veterans Outreach Support, John turned his life around and represented team GB at the 2018 Invictus Games, a global sporting event started by Prince William for injured military personnel.

And John’s pebble message was a simple one – and one that reflected a huge stepping stone on his road to recovery: ‘Invictus’.

He said: ‘Before the Invictus Games I would rarely leave the house. I would go to the corner shop and that was it. I dealt with the outside world as little as possible.

‘Going to the games, performing in front of stadiums, changed my life. It still feels surreal now. It doesn’t feel real even now, a few years down the line. It helped me massively in my recovery.

‘I’m still making that progress forward and I still have my moments. But it changed my life for the better.’

Retired Royal Engineer Captain Luke Sinnott, who is a Help for Heroes beneficiary and ambassador, was also involved in the action.

The 40-year-old from the New Forest lost both of his legs in Afghanistan while hunting for roadside bombs in Helmand Province in November 2010.

Speaking of the event, Luke said: ‘These days are important because it is good to see people coming into the system and have that opportunity to share wisdom and learn from each other.

‘It’s brilliant. I remember my wife benefiting many years ago from charity support early on in my rehabilitation programme. It can really change your life.’

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He added that military charities were invaluable in helping veterans through their injuries and said: ‘The more you can support these veterans, the more they become multiplying factors in the local community.

‘If you can get them back on their feet, it will pay off 10-fold. If you leave them to rot then you’re missing out on a real opportunity.’

And in a boost for veterans, the day was also about celebrating the launch of a new fundraising campaign for Help for Heroes by Deep Blue – which is based on the pier – and Harry Ramsden Restaurants.

The pair of businesses have vowed to raise a total £50,000 over the year to support wounded veterans and their families.

Mark Elliott, co-founder of Help for Heroes, said the cash pledge couldn’t have come at a better time, following a difficult 18 months for the charity, which saw fundraising events axed and donations plummet.

Mr Elliott, a former Warrant Officer Class 1 – the most senior soldier rank in the British Army – said: ‘This has undeniably been the hardest year in the charity’s history for a vast number of reasons.

‘Today has been our first chance to get back into the community and being seen in the community – not just the general public but the veteran community.

‘I think for everybody the past 18 months has been particularly difficult. But when you have been wounded, sick and injured in service, that’s particularly difficult when you don’t think there’s any help out there.

‘So for us to be out in the community just means the world.’

He added that many veterans had huge hurdles to overcome and that being able to come together and support one another can be a huge step on the road to recovery.

‘Everybody has their own Everest – some people a lucky enough and brave enough to climb Mount Everest,’ he said. ‘But for many of our veterans, leaving the front door is their Everest.

‘So this is about saying “come on, give it a go” and making them get out of their front door in a safe environment and showing them they can conquer there Everest, whatever their Everest may be.’