A YOUNG army medic wants to prioritise veterans’ mental health by creating a breakfast club to encourage them to socialise and speak about their experiences.
Sam Curtis, 19, serves with the Royal Army Medical Corps based at Catterick.
He wanted to create a friendly group to help encourage veterans, and currently serving personnel to get to know each other, and to help boost their mental health.
“I know from experience it’s really difficult adapting from being deployed to being back at home and it can help to speak to someone else who has gone through the same thing,” said Sam, from Darfield.
“I wanted to create a group where everyone has had similar experiences to try and encourage people to open up about things that might affect them.
“It’s not just for younger people, I would love for anyone to come down because it’s about breaking barriers and having a good time.”
Sam hopes the club will be held monthly and has set up the first meeting for September 26 at Darfield Cricket Club.
“I don’t just want the group to be about mental health,” Sam added. “I want it to be a positive group for ex-servicemen and women because the camaraderie you get in the army, you don’t get anywhere else.
“There’s a big ex-army population in Darfield and I want them to know they’re not alone, and that there is a group out there for them.”
The first meeting will start at 10.30am.
For more information, visit the Darfield Armed Forces and Veterans Breakfast and Social Club on Facebook.
