Mental health training given to Armed Forces in Nottinghamshire

Video: The training has been taking place at Barnby Moor, Nottinghamshire. 

Vital mental health training has been given to service men and women in Nottinghamshire.

Nottinghamshire County Council secured funding from the Community Covenant Fund and specialist training has been given to current and former Armed Forces personnel since May.

The course has been designed to help people spot the symptoms of mental illness and provide them with support and treatment.

So far 54 people have received training, with a further 18 taking part in the final of the series at Barnby Moor, Nottinghamshire, on Tuesday (June 27) and today (June 28).

The training, provided for free by the council, covers suicide and depression, psychosis, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Bryan Parrish when he was in the military.

Bryan Parrish, from Newark, served in The Royal Artillery for around a decade, but ‘suffered in silence’ when he left.

He said: “When I came out I was broken. It took a long time to get any help, I suffered in silence for a long time. I had failed marriages, estrange children.

“I was in and out of prison struggling with violence, drink and drugs – it was difficult. I tried to adjust and admit I had a problem. I had a couple of suicide attempts, failed at that, I couldn’t even get that right at that point.”

Mental health disorders among current and former members of the Armed Forces increased by 78 per cent between 2008 and 2016, said the Military of Defence.

The Armed Forces Mental Health First Aid training has been open to anyone, like Bryan, in the Armed Forces and their families.

The course has been designed to help prevent people from harming themselves.

The training has been given by mental health first-aid instructors, Major Pauline Murray-Knight MBE and Rick Harrington.

Ms Murray-Knight said: “We tell them about sign-posting, we let them know where they can go for support. And we teach them things like non-judgemental listening. We’re able to just be there for someone.”

Mr Harrington added: “Quite often we’ll see people 10-20 years after leaving military service presenting with mental health issues, presenting suicidal ideas.”

Ms Murray-Knight was recently recognised for her services to mental health in Her Majesty The Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

While Mr Harrington was awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Services.

Councillor Keith Girling, Armed Forces champion at the council, said the training is ‘massively important’ to break down stereotypes of all ex-servicemen and women being mentally strong and stable.

“It’s massively important because it’s about the understanding more than anything else. Everybody has this impression about ex members of the Armed Forces and what they’re really like,” he said.

“But this highlights the differences of those opinions really. It’s vital we get the message out.”

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