During 2022-24 Kent Arts and Wellbeing (KAAW) was delighted to be part of the Veterans Places, Pathways and People (VPPP) project in the Southeast of England, in partnership with Veterans Outreach Support (VOS). Thanks to the leadership and generous funding provided by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (AFCFT), VOS assembled a portfolio of projects named ‘Partnership in Mind’ reflecting the collaborative, joined-up approach of the projects involved, and the emphasis on the wellbeing and mental health of veterans and their close families. ‘Partnership in Mind’ brought together nine Southeast based veteran and ex-forces charities to improve the provision of care to those who have served and their families, by direct support in places that are veteran-friendly, with people who understand and can help them or can help them by enabling clear pathways to wider and specialist sources of support.
The South East’s Partnership in Mind portfolio were; Fighting with Pride, The Poppy Factory, Veterans’ Growth, Walking With The Wounded, First Light Trust, Veterans in Action, Kent Arts & Wellbeing, Defence Medical Welfare Service and the Veterans Community Network. KAAW created and supported regular creative drop in coffee mornings in locations in Kent. Working closely with local authority Armed Forces Champions, recognised national charities and local veteran organisations, the regular meetings provided the opportunity to develop friendships, and for some, help reduce social isolation. The coffee mornings were supported by a range of organisations that provided services to veterans including Age UK, Mind and many other local community groups.
In Ashford, Dover, Maidstone, and Margate the creative focus was on photography, crafting, painting and ceramics.
In Deal, a singing group started and took part in a joint concert entitled Veteran’s Voices in Portsmouth at Christmas 2023. There are two initiatives in Medway which are still ongoing; one is a modelling club who meet weekly; the other is a group of veterans who have repaired a summer house in the grounds of Rochester Cathedral which the Royal Engineers donated in the 1960s. A small team of these Veterans then designed and created and are shortly about to instal some new stained-glass windows for the summer house. In Ramsgate, activities extended to include local military history and visits to sites of cultural interest. Alongside this creative work, indeed, because of the creative connections made, a draft armed forces strategy for Thanet was completed and presented to the Deputy Leader and Armed Forces Champion of Thanet District Council (TDC) and their lead Armed Forces Officer. They accepted the report as a base from which to develop an official strategy and have since confirmed that TDC have committed to develop both an armed forces strategy and support a Civil-Military partnership with a wider representation. This body has the potential to help organise and maintain local networks. We very much hope this initiative may therefore be a blueprint for other local authorities in Kent.
We are very proud of our work with veterans. Nationally, creative activities have been recognised by NICE and the NHS as an important element in promoting wellbeing. These creative activities, together with digital inclusion activity, have helped veterans and their families gain skills and confidence, along with an improved sense of self-worth and greater resilience. We will continue to encourage those veterans to show interest in specific creative activities and to join local organisations supporting those activities. All helping to further reduce feelings of social isolation and all helping to build a Veteran Friendly community in Kent.
Creative Credits:
Lydia Hibbert – Young Animators Club
Catherine Arnell – Espression Arts
Mona Whitton – Creative Artist
Christie Grant – Creative Artist
Chas Bedford – Photographer
