The plans to adapt part of the Grade 2 listed building were given the green light this week and will create the first ever fully digital, 3D system dedicated to Service Personnel undergoing rehabilitation.　

The new cinema complex will show Hollywood blockbusters and films on current release up to three times a week. It is hoped that it will be up and running in time to screen the 2012 Games this summer.

The 50-seat cinema will be fully wheelchair accessible, with some seats accessible by steps to help those individuals redeveloping their mobility. It will make a significant contribution to the recuperation of Service personnel by providing them with some much-needed entertainment during their rehabilitation.　

The Legion has funded £420,000 towards the capital and operating costs of the cinema which MediCinema will build and manage.

Stephen Moore, MediCinema’s Chief Executive, said: “We are delighted to be providing a cinema of the highest quality at Headley Court. It has only been made possible by the generous support we’ve been given by so many people in the film industry as well as The Royal British Legion.”

Sue Freeth, Director of Health and Welfare at The Royal British Legion, said: “Injured Service personnel at DMRC Headley Court already receive the best medical care and rehabilitation and now The Royal British Legion and MediCinema are joining forces to give them the best entertainment experience, through a new state-of-the-art cinema. Rehabilitation is not only a huge physical challenge, but involves recuperating mentally as well. This excellent new facility will assist our brave Service personnel in doing just that.”

Commanding Officer of Headley Court, Group Captain Clare Walton, said: “This is a truly generous gesture from both The Royal British Legion and MediCinema. Service personnel undergoing rehabilitation here will, I am sure, be delighted to have their own cinema where they can enjoy the latest Hollywood blockbusters, hook up their games consoles to the big screen and enjoy sports and other programmes in the facility.”

The Bravo 22 company, who are a group of wounded, injured and sick Service personel, took the West End by storm in January with their ‘one night only’ performance of ‘The Two Worlds of Charlie F’. The project, created by The Theatre Royal Haymarket Masterclass Trust in partnership with The Royal British Legion and Defence Recovery Capability, was so well received it was decided that the real-life stories of conflict and recovery will be taken to tens of thousands of people throughout the UK this summer.

The play will visit The New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham and The Sherman Cymru Theatre, Cardiff in July, The Pleasance Grand as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August before finally returning to London’s West End in early September.

Following the first performances, Ray Winstone commented:

“I am so proud and overwhelmed. It is the most moving play I’ve seen for a long, long time. The public should get behind this and be part of something unforgettable.”　

The production, which was born out of a collaborative project between The Theatre Royal Haymarket Masterclass Trust, The Royal British Legion and Defence Recovery Capability, has the aim of using a theatrical learning environment to aid recovery, build new skills and offer opportunities to those members of the Armed Forces transitioning into civilian life.

Commenting on the origins of the project and the success of the production and forthcoming tour Masterclass Creative Producer Alice Driver said:

“This all started 15 months　ago　as an idea inspired by the bravery of　a　wounded soldier I met　in　Queen　Elizabeth　Hospital,　Birmingham. The Bravo 22 Company was born out of this meeting; at its heart was the recovery of wounded, injured and sick Service personnel by providing a unique work placement within a theatre company. By being part of this process they would not only immerse themselves into a new industry but benefit from the effects of this theatre model: increased confidence, self-awareness and ultimately allowing them to step away from their injury.”

The Legion’s Director of Health and Welfare, Sue Freeth, said of the charity’s involvement:

“The Legion is proud to be funding this very innovative and unique recovery project for members of the Armed Forces community. The project has demonstrated the huge impact a creative and collaborative process can have on building self-esteem and motivation, and has also offered an insight into a different industry, opening doors to new opportunities for those involved.

“We will continue to channel funds where needed into projects like this, to support Service personnel recovering from life changing injuries, and their families, today and for the rest of their lives.”

Tickets for ‘The Two Worlds of Charlie F.’ are available now.

Tour dates:

The New Alexander Theatre, Birmingham 19^th – 21^st July 2012.

Box Office: 0844 871 7627

The Sherman Cymru Theatre, Cardiff, 25th, 26th & 28th July 2012

Box Office 029 2064 6900

The Pleasance Grand, Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh 7th-11th August 2012.

Box Office: 0131 556 6550 

For the past five days Windsor has played host to some of the most skilled military horsemen and women in the world, with over 550 horses and 1000 Dancers, musicians, and performers from across the globe gathering to pay tribute to HM The Queen’s 60 year reign, and The Royal British Legion were proud to be one of the event’s charity partners.

celebrating the 250 Commonwealth and state visits the Queen has made during her reign.

The Diamond Jubilee Pageant took place in the private grounds of Windsor Castle and featured performers and members of the military from The Americas, Australasia, Asia, The Middle East, Africa, Europe and Great Britain,

Guests were treated to a spectacular 90 minutes of indigenous dancers, musicians, military personnel and horsemen and women demonstrating the culture of their country, all narrated by Angela Ripon and Alan Titchmarsh.

Highlights included an impressive demonstration of the haka by the Te Arawa Performances from Rotorua, The Dancing Marwaris of India　 showcasing their magnificent tent pegging skills as the smell of exotic incense filled the air and the hugely athletic Kremlin Equestrian Riding School demonstrating traditional Russian Cossack style riding which involved impossible gymnastic feats while their horses galloped at full pace across the arena.

Our favourite Extreme Human Flight team Jump4Heroes have recently re-launched their website. We caught up with team member Major Alastair Macartney who told us a bit about the changes.

“People have really been taken by the work that Jump4Heroes does. As the public has started to follow us more and more and we’re getting more and more requests for TV work, as The Royal British Legion Extreme Human Flight Team, we felt we had to improve our online presence. We’ve been working hard for a while on our YouTube channel and, in the short month of February alone, we received almost 400,000 views of our videos. We’ve now turned our attention to a much more professional website.

We have lots of projects coming up but we need support to fund them. Hopefully, our new web presence will provide a more attractive base for potential sponsors. This will allow us to raise the necessary funds to undertake our projects and then exponentially share the wealth with the PR they attract for The Royal British Legion.”

You can visit the new website at www.jump4heroes.com

]]> http://legionlive.org.uk/2012/05/11/jump4heroes-launch-new-website/feed/ http://legionlive.org.uk/2012/05/10/mental-health-and-armed-forces-charities-call-for-more-research-into-the-impact-of-mental-ill-health-on-armed-forces-families/ http://legionlive.org.uk/2012/05/10/mental-health-and-armed-forces-charities-call-for-more-research-into-the-impact-of-mental-ill-health-on-armed-forces-families/#comments Thu, 10 May 2012 13:22:08 +0000 Poppy http://legionlive.org.uk/?p=7763  

Armed Forces families must be better supported to deal with the emotional and psychological impact of deployment, according to a report released today by Centre for Mental Health. The report, Unsung Heroes, also calls for urgent research into alcohol misuse, domestic violence and the impact of mental health problems on the partners and children of Service personnel and veterans.

The report, which is supported by The Royal British Legion and the veteran’s mental health charity Combat Stress, argues that while progress is being made to address the psychological needs of Service personnel and veterans themselves, the practical and emotional impact on their partners and children must also be taken into consideration.

Unsung Heroes examines the services already in place for families and identifies areas where more evidence, about both the need for services to support families and the effectiveness of these services is needed.

Sean Duggan, chief executive at Centre for Mental Health said today: “Our most pressing concern is the paucity of UK research into the emotional needs of armed forces families on the ‘home front’; which may mean that the needs of many families are going unmet.

“There is a very substantial body of research that highlights concern about the levels of alcohol use within the UK Armed Forces, yet little evidence about the impact of alcohol misuse on their families. It’s vital that this kind of research is undertaken as soon as possible and that we evaluate the existing support to ensure that Service families get the help they need.”

Sue Freeth, Director of Health and Welfare at the Royal British Legion said: “The Royal British Legion welcomes this latest research which is vital in being able to meet the needs of in-service and ex-serving personnel, but also their families. These findings are supported by our own case work experience. Ensuring families receive joined up information, advice care, and support so they do not experience any disadvantage is vital.”

Peter Poole, Director of Strategy, Policy & Performance at Combat Stress said: “Combat Stress specialises in working with Veterans with mental health problems - providing crucial treatment, supporting the Veteran in his or her recovery and helping them return to normal life. The report recognises the vital role that families can play in aiding their loved one’s treatment and recovery from mental ill-health and in providing a stable home environment for Serving personnel between deployments.”

The report is available online at: www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk/publications/

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Chavasse VC House, the latest Personnel Recovery Centre, is officially opened in Colchester. [Picture: Corporal Obi Igbo, Crown Copyright/MOD 2012

The new, purpose built Recovery Centre, funded by Help for Heroes with a contribution from The Royal British Legion towards its operating costs, will provide first class facilities for wounded, injured and sick Service personnel including accommodation, social areas, family rooms and a state of the art fitness centre, as well as comprehensive and coordinated on-going support.

Chavasse VC House can accommodate up to 27 personnel, including two families, and a further 30 day residents. It will also offer training facilities, classrooms, and gymnasiums with state-of-the-art sports equipment providing the residents with opportunities to learn new skills, gain qualifications, and make a smooth transition into civilian life or return to duty.

As well as being there for current serving personnel, Chavasse VC House facilities and services are open to wounded, injured and sick veterans on a needs basis. A Support Hub, offering a ‘one stop shop’ of advice and support for residents, veterans and their families, will provide access to the expertise of many welfare agencies, service charities and organisations. This includes advice and guidance on a multitude of issues including; money, health, housing, social and much more.

John Crisford, National Vice Chairman of The Royal British Legion, said: “The range of support, both practical and emotional, that Colchester PRC will provide to the wounded, injured and sick Service personnel who come here will make a vital contribution to their recovery, whether they return to duty or move into civilian life. They have given so much for our country and deserve nothing less. The Royal British Legion will always support them and their families, and is very proud to be supporting this Centre.”

Chavasse VC House is the latest centre to be opened as part of the nationwide Defence Recovery Capability (DRC). The DRC is an MOD led initiative in partnership with Help for Heroes (H4H) and The Royal British Legion alongside other Service charities and agencies to ensure that wounded, injured and sick personnel have access to the key services and resources needed to help them either return to duty or make a smooth transition into an appropriately skilled civilian life.

This is George’s story…

This is the photo that immortalised George’s VE Day celebrations:

George Broomhead, VE Day 1945

You can hear George talking about his VE Day experience in our video filmed at the Legion’s VE65 celebrations in 2010

 
We’ll be announcing details of how you can run for us in 2013 in the next few months – watch this space!

British Forces News brings the latest stories that matter to British troops all around the Forces world, as well as to their families and friends and to Forces veterans.

British Forces News presenter Kate Gerbeau

Presented by Kate Gerbeau, the 30-minute news magazine brings the latest stories from Afghanistan, Germany, Cyprus, the Falklands and the many other locations worldwide where British Forces live and work. British Forces News covers issues of warfare, defence policy and military strategy, and runs in-depth reports on matters relating to welfare and family wherever British Forces and their loved ones are located around the world.

The British Forces News team operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week from its studios in Buckinghamshire, with regular live international reports from Afghanistan, where BFBS is the only broadcaster with two journalists based permanently at Camp Bastion. In addition, British Forces News has journalists based in Germany, Northern Ireland, Cyprus, and mainland Britain and is supported by news contributors in the Falkland Islands, Canada, Gibraltar, Belize and Brunei to bring the latest news and reports.

News Presenter Kate Gerbeau said: ‘Until now, British Forces News has only been available to British Forces on an encrypted satellite, but by launching on Information TV, we can reach out to a much wider audience - not just those serving and their families, but also anyone with an interest in defence news. We don’t just report on breaking national and international stories, we also provide unrivalled in-depth reports on all the issues that matter to service personnel including stories of bravery and sacrifice.’

Watch British Forces News, weeknights at 18.30 (CET) on BFBS1 around the Forces world, online at www.bfbs.com/news, and in the UK at 18.30 (UK time) on Information TV, via Sky Channel 231 and Freesat Channel 402.

You can also follow them on Twitter @ForcesNews and Facebook at www.facebook.com/BritishForcesNews