RMC Impact Report 2022-23 v15 - Flipbook - Page 13
Health & Wellbeing
In action
Training our
support network
Support
network
in action
Last year we facilitated
training for our Royal
Marines Support Volunteers
(RMSV) who volunteer
their time to provide
practical and emotional
support to the Royal
Marines Veteran community
and their families.
We are proud to have
assisted Royal Marine
Veteran Robin Andrews,
whose situation we
were made aware of by
RM Support Volunteer,
Fred Coughlin.
Hosted at the Gordon Messenger
Centre, the workshop was co-delivered
by Moor Mindful, which specialises
in providing coaching and expert
training to enhance the understanding
of mental health and wellbeing,
alongside staff from the RMA.
We have been working with Moor
Mindful to create and develop a
training package for our RMSVs,
building upon the training created by
Cameron March MBE during his time
at the Royal Marines Association.
Our RMSVs are trained volunteers,
able to provide both practical help and
emotional support to the RM Veteran
community in all sorts of ways: from a
vitally important regular friendly chat
12
at home or on the telephone to ease
social isolation and build a sense of
camaraderie and belonging; to help
with form filling and giving practical
help with lifts to hospital and medical
appointments, to name but a few.
Having like-minded volunteers with
their eyes and ears on the ground
is invaluable. It allows us to work
with other charities to ensure the
best possible support is afforded
to the Royal Marines Family.
Their support is immense.
Combined with the informal
support offered by branches of
the Royal Marines Association,
RMSVs enable the Charity to reach
every corner of the Corps family.
“My special thanks
go to our dedicated
group of Royal
Marine Support
Volunteers who
were so engaged
in this training.”
Danny Egan,
Director of Health & Wellbeing at
RMA – The Royal Marines Charity
RMA – The Royal Marines Charity Impact Report 2022–2023
Robin suffered a severe stroke which
has left him with decreased ambulatory
capacity and he is virtually bedridden.
He requires constant support from
carers who visit him four times a day,
some of which he must pay for.
His poor health was causing severe
stress for him and his partner, with
his caring needs meaning that he
could no longer afford to stay in his
own home. It was decided that it
would be best for him to move to his
daughter’s house, however he did not
qualify for any support from Social
Services to make this possible.
In conjunction with the Support
Officer, RMA – The Royal Marines
Charity identified and helped
fund suitable medical transport to
enable Robin to make the critical
move, together with a grant to help
towards the costs of his future care.
www.rma-trmc.org
13