EX-SERVICEMEN and women coping with the mental and emotional scars of war will receive help at a South Tyneside museum.
Charity Veterans at Ease has set up a new base in Jarrow Hall at Bede’s World, to help those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and their families.
The Mayor and Mayoress of South Tyneside, Couns Eileen Leask and Olive Punchion, will officially launch the new service on Tuesday, February 26.
A therapy room to treat those with PTSD has been established at the borough museum, with the service set to prove of benefit to hundreds of veterans.
Garreth Murrell, founder, project manager and senior therapist with Veterans at Ease, developed PTSD after serving with the Cheshire Regiment for 10 years.
His military service included spells in the Falkland Islands and Northern Ireland, and he was one of the first soldiers involved in the Bosnian conflict in 1992.
Mr Murrell married in 1995, only to see his marriage break down six years later.
A spokesman for the charity said: “The nightmares and flashbacks from Bosnia stopped a year or so after the breakdown of his marriage.
“It wasn’t until 14 years after leaving Bosnia that he sought help for what had become a major issue for him.”
After taking voluntary redundancy as a crime scene investigator, Mr Murrell set up the charity.
During the past two years, Veterans at Ease has helped more than 50 ex-servicemen and eight family members find peace of mind and help them cope with their lives.
A spokesman added: “This number is set to increase, especially with the current conflicts our men and women face to date.
“It is estimated our charity will work with more than 200 veterans in the next four years. Bede’s World museum in Jarrow is kindly supporting Veterans at Ease and helping them with the running of the four-year project.”
Visit the charity website at www.veteransatease.org.
Twitter: @terrykelly16
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