OUR STORY

A charity for veterans, founded by veterans

Since military veterans Ed Parker and Simon Daglish founded Walking With The Wounded (WWTW) in 2010, we’ve led with a pioneering spirit. It’s our mission to empower military veterans facing serious challenges to find their place in society again.

This bold and positive approach stems from the resilience and ambition Ed saw when working with injured military veterans.

Wounded, not woeful

At the time Walking With The Wounded was established in 2010, many military charities were already raising funds for veterans. But the media’s common perception of ex-Forces personnel was one framed by sympathy and sorrow for the fallen hero.

This wasn’t Ed's experience when visiting his wounded nephew, Harry, who had lost both his legs in Afghanistan. Instead of an atmosphere of resignation, he found a ward full of young veterans brimming with competition, ambition, and drive. Who was going to run the fastest, jump the highest, have the best car, the best job. Each person, full of ideas for future success.

Providing services for those who served

As the charity's profile grew, Ed and Simon recognised that there were veterans who had fallen far from where they wanted to be. There were many cases where ex-service personnel needed more complex support across many different parts of their lives; many faced homelessness, were in jail, had mental health issues, and experienced other complex needs when transitioning to civilian life.

For example, when veterans were trying to retrain for a new career after military service, it was tough to access the right funding. It was a clear gap that held veterans back but could empower them into new careers and towards becoming more confident, active individuals.

This insight led to developing the First Steps programme in 2012, providing access to entry-level, formal, and vocational training for veterans seeking new careers.

Growing and collaborating

With the success of First Steps, and with the untapped demand becoming obvious, the charity had to grow. Fergus Williams joined the charity as Director of Operations, driving forward support programmes for veteran employment after military service. But however quickly WWTW was growing, they needed more help. It was clear collaboration with big employers was the key. And there’s no bigger employer in the UK than the NHS.

Their conversations with the NHS resulted in the creation of Step Into Health in 2014, a programme connecting skilled candidates from the Armed Forces community with employment opportunities in the NHS. And we’re proud that Step Into Health is still working for veterans today.

Tailored support for when life gets hard

It became clear there was a desperate need in the veteran community for more intensive support. Not enough was being done around social issues. Ex-Forces personnel who needed help with housing, with legal defence, with mental health. People who had served their country and who had fallen between the cracks in society, and were unable to get the support.

This led, in collaboration with Help for Heroes and the Regular Forces Employment Association, to the launch of Home Straight in 2011, providing employment support for veterans without permanent accommodation and Project Nova (now Op NOVA), offering social support for ex-Forces personnel in the criminal justice system. Programmes that, over the years, have transformed the lives and futures of ex-service personnel and their families.

In 2015, we began our Head Start programme, offering 1-2-1 mental health and emotional wellbeing support for veterans and their families, helping them reconnect with those they love and the communities they belong to.

WWTW was now giving veterans who’d fallen the furthest from where they wanted to be the support and opportunities that they’d not had since leaving the military. But more than practical support, WWTW offered the opportunity of hope and fortitude.