Combat Stress

Combat Stress The Combat Stress page is managed Monday-Friday 9am-4pm and cannot offer clinical support. For more information visit www.combatstress.org.uk

Because this account is our way of telling people about our work, it's not somewhere where we can give clinical support. The best thing to do is to call our free 24-hour helpline on 0800 138 1619.

Join us for a live online Q&A with Dr Kat Aguilera following her powerful Gib talk on military and frontline trauma.Draw...
03/09/2026

Join us for a live online Q&A with Dr Kat Aguilera following her powerful Gib talk on military and frontline trauma.

Drawing on extensive clinical experience, Dr Aguilera explores why personnel so often struggle in silence for years, how trauma compounds in operational environments and which early warning signs signal an impending breakdown.

In this interactive session, you’ll have the opportunity to ask your questions and go deeper into the realities behind delayed help‑seeking, the human and organisational costs of waiting too long, and what truly becomes possible when trauma is treated early.

Watch the talk in advance, then join the Q&A to explore the issues in more depth and put your questions directly to Dr Aguilera: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhlK8VrqHh0

If you haven’t yet joined our learning community, please visit https://learning.combatstress.org.uk/ to gain access to this live event and a wide range on online training courses. This training is available thanks to the generosity of the AFCFT.

For veterans living with the impact of military trauma, recovery can take time. Regular donations help make sure special...
02/09/2026

For veterans living with the impact of military trauma, recovery can take time. Regular donations help make sure specialist treatment and support are there when veterans need them.

By giving monthly to Combat Stress, you can provide reliable, ongoing support that helps us plan ahead and continue delivering life-changing treatment to former servicemen and women across the UK.

A regular donation whatever the amount, can make a lasting difference.

Set up a regular donation by Direct Debit today: https://tinyurl.com/2cjbx7m6

Want to support veterans and be in with a chance of winning up to £25,000?The Combat Stress Lottery now has a bigger top...
02/09/2026

Want to support veterans and be in with a chance of winning up to £25,000?

The Combat Stress Lottery now has a bigger top prize and it costs just £1 a week to play.

Every ticket helps fund our specialist mental health treatment and support for veterans living with PTSD, helping more former servicemen and women move forward with their lives.

When you sign up, you’ll receive a unique six-digit number and be entered into our weekly Friday draw. Match your digits in the right places and you could win.

Play today and help make a difference for veterans: https://lottery.combatstress.org.uk/?source=OSAug26

Players must be 18 or over and live in Great Britain. Please play responsibly.

From endurance cycling and mountain challenges to skydives and military-inspired events, our incredible supporters have ...
28/08/2026

From endurance cycling and mountain challenges to skydives and military-inspired events, our incredible supporters have been pushing themselves to the limit for veterans this August.

The 1X Stronger Together team took on their seventh charity challenge of the year, dragging 106kg for 54 miles along the Normandy coast in memory of Andrew Borthwick.

47 RA WKSP, led by Kate Burrows, completed a gruelling Military Murph in MTP, boots and body armour, while Tom Sharpe marked his 18th birthday with a skydive for Combat Stress.

Our Trustee Alysoun Sturt-Scobie has spent August taking on the extraordinary NorthCape4000, cycling from Berlin to the North Cape and Mark Genko began his year-long challenge to complete fifty 50km bike rides before his 50th birthday.

ADS Group swapped laptops for lycra and cycled from Belfast to Bristol during one of the hottest weeks of the year, raising more than £5,000 for beneficiary charities including Combat Stress.

Ingha Ramshaw completed the Dundee Kiltwalk in memory of her father, who served as a Marine, while Michael Robinson tackled the Yorkshire Three Peaks carrying two 20kg kettlebells.

Michael Smith completed the Thames Meander Marathon in 3 hours 59 minutes, breaking the four-hour mark, and at 75, Rob Mawdsley tackled the Lake District Triple: cycling, hiking the Old Man of Coniston and kayaking across Coniston Water.

Every mile cycled, walked and run, every weight carried and every challenge completed helps Combat Stress provide specialist treatment and support to veterans recovering from the impact of military trauma.

Thank you to everyone who has supported us this month. Your determination and generosity are helping more veterans recover and rebuild their lives.

Our Autumn newspaper has landed, and it's one you won't want to miss!Inside, Army veteran Tony shares his story. After 4...
27/08/2026

Our Autumn newspaper has landed, and it's one you won't want to miss!

Inside, Army veteran Tony shares his story. After 40 years of service, a traumatic incident in Northern Ireland years earlier left him fighting mental health issues that almost cost him everything. His wife Janette shares about loving someone through PTSD without always realising what was happening. "Tony is still here," she says. "And that's the big thing, because at times I really didn't think he would be."

We're also sharing W.A.R.N.S: five simple signs of trauma to look out for in yourself or someone you love, from one of our Senior Counselling Psychologists. We highly recommend checking this out, whether you're a veteran, a family member, or just want to understand more.

Download your free copy today: https://combatstress.org.uk/Newspaper

Supporting a veteran with PTSD can feel challenging, but the right information and guidance can make a real difference.O...
26/08/2026

Supporting a veteran with PTSD can feel challenging, but the right information and guidance can make a real difference.

Our Stronger Together webinars led by mental health professionals are designed to help families, partners and friends better understand PTSD and feel more confident supporting the veteran in their life.

Following our webinars in July, on average the proportion of attendees who said they felt confident supporting a veteran with PTSD increased from 38% before the session to 93% afterwards.

Our next free webinar series starts on Thursday 1 October 2026, with a new session every Thursday throughout October. Across the series, we’ll cover supporting a veteran with PTSD symptoms, overcoming communication challenges, responding to anger and keeping safe, supporting a veteran with depression, and maintaining your own wellbeing and accessing further support.

Register here: https://learning.combatstress.org.uk/pages/for-families-and-friends

Every year, an estimated 336,000 tonnes of clothing end up in UK landfill. But your unwanted clothes and shoes could do ...
25/08/2026

Every year, an estimated 336,000 tonnes of clothing end up in UK landfill. But your unwanted clothes and shoes could do something far more valuable: supporting veterans with military trauma, with a portion of proceeds donated to Combat Stress.

Through our partnership with R&W Collections, you can drop off unwanted clothing at one of our recycling banks. It's collected, sorted and resold, with proceeds helping fund our specialist support for veterans.

Wendy Yarney of R&W Collections said: "Our clothing banks provide a sustainable, long-term source of funding, allowing supporters to donate unwanted clothing and shoes while helping to generate ongoing income for this vital service."

Recycle. Raise money. Change lives.

Find your nearest clothing bank: https://combatstress.org.uk/recycle-for-veterans

Join our Lead Peer Support Coordinator, Simon West, for a live interactive session all about peer support.Simon, a veter...
24/08/2026

Join our Lead Peer Support Coordinator, Simon West, for a live interactive session all about peer support.

Simon, a veteran himself, will share insights into what peer support really is, the value of peer support and how we have built and are continuing to build a strong peer support network at Combat Stress.

You will hear valuable insights and takeaway tips for how peer support could be relevant for you, a veteran you support, or a veteran you live with.

Suitable for professionals, organisations, family and friends alike, this webinar will show you how peer support is a central component of mental health recovery and beyond.

If you haven’t yet joined our learning community, please visit: https://learning.combatstress.org.uk/ to gain access to this live event and a wide range on online training courses.

This training is available thanks to the generosity of the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust.

Our Veterans Recovery Network sessions are going from strength to strength, creating spaces where veterans can connect w...
21/08/2026

Our Veterans Recovery Network sessions are going from strength to strength, creating spaces where veterans can connect with others, feel encouraged to seek and complete treatment, and build lasting recovery.

We also know how important families can be in helping veterans take that first step towards support and stay well over the longer term.

That’s why our event at RAF Museum Cosford on Wednesday 23 September 2026 will be a special session for both veterans and their families.

Veterans will be able to join a dedicated Peer Support group, while family members can take part in a family-focused Q&A led by our Family Support team. It will be an opportunity to ask questions, share concerns and better understand how to support a veteran while also looking after your own wellbeing.

This is the first Veterans Recovery Network event of its kind and we’d love you to join us.

We’re also hoping to bring together local organisations and services so attendees can find out more about the support available in their area.

If you’re a veteran or family member and would like to attend, register here: https://combatstress.org.uk/veterans-recovery-network

If you represent a local veterans’ service and would like to be part of the event, please contact [email protected]

As we mark the 25th anniversary of 11 September 2001, we remember those who lost their lives, those whose lives were cha...
20/08/2026

As we mark the 25th anniversary of 11 September 2001, we remember those who lost their lives, those whose lives were changed forever, and the communities still living with the impact of that day.

We also pay tribute to the brave firefighters, police officers, emergency responders and others who risked and in some cases gave, their lives to save others.

Twenty-five years on, many veterans are still living with the psychological effects of the conflicts that followed, including PTSD and other mental health difficulties. Combat Stress will be using this milestone to remind veterans and families that support is available and recovery is possible.

This September, our Virtual Veterans Recovery Network will host three 60-minute peer support sessions on Wednesday 9, 16 and 23 September at 10am for veterans whose lives were shaped by the conflicts that followed 9/11.

The sessions will provide an opportunity to connect with other veterans, share experiences if you wish, and focus on wellbeing and recovery in a supportive online environment.

They are led by veterans and open to you wherever you are in your treatment or recovery. There is no expectation to share personal experiences, and you can take part in a way that feels comfortable for you.

If you feel that connecting with other veterans could support your wellbeing and recovery, we would welcome you to join us.

Register here: https://combatstress.org.uk/virtual-veterans-recovery-network

All attendees will have their veteran status verified.

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Tyrwhitt House, Oaklawn Road
Leatherhead

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