May 20, 2020 - 830 views
Clwyd West MS and Chair of the Welsh Parliament Cross Party Group on the Armed Forces and Cadets, Darren Millar, has welcomed news that Armed Forces charity ‘Help for Heroes’ have made their mental health and wellbeing resource, ‘The Field Guide to Self-Care’, available in Welsh, and also opened it up to NHS workers dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic.
The downloadable resource of tips and tools was originally created by Help for Heroes staff in partnership with wounded veterans for those who have experienced traumatic events or have been affected by working in high-intensity situations in the Armed Forces and was only available in English.
It is now available to freely access in Welsh, with guided meditations delivered bilingually by acclaimed Welsh actor Matthew Gravelle, and is also available to NHS staff.
Following the outbreak of Covid-19 in the UK, the charity was asked to contribute its expertise to a package of support being created for Nightingale and NHS staff.
In addition, the charity chose to make these resources available on its website to support health workers around the UK in preparing for and dealing with traumatic experiences.
Darren said: “It is great news that Help for Heroes are making this guide available to even more people.
“I was extremely pleased to hear that Welsh speakers will benefit from being able to access these resources in their first language, and that they are now freely accessible to our NHS staff, who are currently having to deal with some very emotionally challenging situations.
“This week is National Mental Health Awareness Week and in the current climate more people that ever are struggling. I therefore urge any veterans or NHS workers who feel in need of help to access this vital resource.”
Community Recovery Manager for Help for Heroes in Wales & Hereford, Shelley Elgin said: “As a charity, we have supported more than 25,000 ex-service personnel and families, many of whom have faced similar situations to those our NHS staff are facing around the country right now: challenging environments; working outside of normal areas of work; working with protective equipment and putting themselves at risk.
"Many have also been taken away from family, friends and colleagues for extended and uncertain periods of time.
“We know how beneficial the Field Guide has been to men and women struggling with the emotional challenges and practical changes we are all facing at this challenging time, and we wanted to make sure it’s available and accessible to as many people as possible.”
To access the Help for Heroes Field Guide to Self-Care in Welsh go to: https://helpforheroes.org.uk/get-support/mental-health-and-wellbeing/a-field-guide-to-selfcare/cymraeg
To access the guide in English go to: https://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/get-support/mental-healthand-wellbeing/a-field-guide-to-self-care/
