Story
My Story
In 2019 I saw a post on Facebook, some armed forces veterans were kicking around an idea to raise funds for charities supporting serving members and veterans. The idea was a gumball style car rally from the UK to Gibraltar, in a vehicle costing no more than £500. What could possibly go wrong!
Having paid my deposit and found a 20+ year old VW Golf Cabriolet on eBay for £360, the planning and preparation began. Then COVID hit, so the first Veterans Banger Rally altered course and ran a similar amount for miles around the UK, from middle England, to West, South and East Coasts.
It was an absolute blast from start to finish, full of shenanigans and the comradery one might expect with 20 teams of veterans, endless tales and stories to be told and many new friendships made.
Roll the clock forward to 2024, with one UK rally and two to Gibraltar under my bonnet, this years’ rally has been transformed into the Veterans Honour Rally, taking place during the first week of September, our remarkable journey spans from the serene Staffordshire Arboretum to the vibrant coastal town of Skegness. From there, we’ll navigate the picturesque route to Lowestoft, soak in the charm of Brighton, experience the beauty of Torquay, and finally, reach the heartwarming destination of Rhyl (who wrote this!). Each stop offers unique landscapes and experiences, making every mile an adventure, and a truck load of much needed, funds raised for different charities. Then to finish off a celebratory parade down Rhyl prom.
For the last 3 years, I have raised donations for the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboats Institution), this year it’s time for a change and I’m pleased to announce that all donations (gratefully received) will go to Help For Heroes. Why? I hear you ask. Well, turn the clock back around 10 years, I found myself in a very different place, having been separated and then divorced, left the security of my family home behind me, ending up living for periods of time with my brothers, sister and other relatives, and sofa surfed at friends’ houses (thank you all dearly), stayed in hostels and Airbnb’s. Thinking back on it I was one step away from becoming homeless.
Feeling very out of sorts, I visited the GP, told her how odd I was feeling, described the symptoms, the flashbacks to having served in the forces in the 1980’s, most of which I’d long since forgotten about, and she referred me to an organisation called Hidden Wounds.
Hidden Wounds
Hidden Wounds is a free and confidential support service which has been set up by Help for Heroes. It is available for veterans, the families of veterans and the families of currently serving personnel. It provides assessment and treatment for individuals from these groups experiencing difficulties with depression, anxiety, worry, anger and problem drinking. It can be hard to talk about having feelings like these but avoiding it can often cause individuals to withdraw from those people who are close to them, which can make the problem worse, as individuals may feel lonely and like there is no one to help and support them.
The Hidden Wounds team worked with me for many months, supporting me, helping me to get to grips with being diagnosed with a mental health issue, explaining what exactly PTSD is and how I can help myself to live with it on a day-to-day basis.
Thanks to Hidden Wounds and Help For Heroes, without your exemplary support and counselling, I’d no doubt not be where I am today.
And thanks for all of those that have read this far, whether you donate a penny or a pound, your donation is very much appreciated and will go a long way to helping those that like myself, served our country, and as a direct result needed a helping hand much later in their lives.
Thank you all.
Neil 😉.
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