Charity | Posted on December 9th, 2024 | return to news
Poole RAF veteran urges sending of Christmas messages
Many veterans feel isolated at Christmas and as part of a campaign by Help for Heroes, people are encouraged to send messages.
A Dorset Royal Air Force veteran is urging people in Dorset to include veterans in their Christmas greetings messages.
Last Christmas, thousands of people sent messages of hope to isolated veterans, as part of a campaign by Armed Forces charity Help for Heroes. These small acts of kindness encouraged veterans to reach out for life-changing support.
This year, with requests for support surging by 54 per cent, already, year on year, Help for Heroes is looking to encourage more members of the public to reach even more veterans with messages of support and encouragement.
Clare Keating, 43, from Poole, served in the RAF for seven years before being medically discharged owing to a deteriorating eye condition. She has been involved with Help for Heroes for eight years, through the choir and Invictus Games, and has witnessed the impact of loneliness and isolation on former colleagues.
She said: “It’s important to show veterans they are valued, especially at this time of year, as this is a time when we feel most vulnerable and alone. We miss the security we once had. We miss the sense of purpose we held and can feel incredibly isolated.
“This time of year is worse for the feelings of isolation because many of the friends, family, and connections to the civilian world the veterans have made will all be celebrating together. The more lonely you are, the bigger the feelings of sadness you feel.
“Often, any help put in place by outside agencies – or even groups veterans attend – will stop over the holiday period. This leads to loneliness and a huge step back in the recovery of veterans.”
Dorset is home to around 40,000 veterans and Clare believes there are more in the county who could be helped by Help for Heroes.
She said: “When I received my card, last year, from a member of the public, via Help for Heroes, it made me feel valued. I felt remembered; that the time I served and the job I did was worth it.
“And there are many others, I’m sure, who would appreciate feeling that way.”
Anyone who wants to get involved can simply post a message on the online Message Wall, from where Christmas cards with messages of support were sent to more than 9,500 veterans last year.
To get support, visit helpforheroes.org.uk.
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