Walking With The Wounded, bolsters veteran mental health support in East of England with the appointment of a new specialist team
Walking With The Wounded, has appointed a new team of Veteran Liaison & Support Officers (VSLOs). The team will work closely with the Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) and Op COURAGE to identify and help veterans experiencing a mental health crisis.
Amy Franklin, WWTW Director of Operations, commented, “WWTW is excited to be expanding our veteran mental
health support across the East of England, in partnership with the NHS. The
appointment of the new team of VSLO’s is a much-needed step forward for those
who have served and need mental health support in this region.”
The team of
6 specialist Support Officers will work across East Anglia, covering Essex,
Norfolk, Suffolk, Hertfordshire, Bedford, and Cambridgeshire.
Leif Jardine started
his career in the NHS in 2000, working with his local NHS trust in Essex. He
has worked in many inpatient settings ranging from acute wards to
rehabilitation and low secure environments. Leif worked within the veteran
community and other military organisations for many years. He will support
veterans in Essex and the surrounding areas.
Chris Titmuss joined
WWTW from the Royal British Legion, where he spent the last 11 years working in
several roles including, Regional Outreach Officer. He currently holds a
public appointment with the Ministry of Defence, sitting on the Veterans
Advisory & Pensions Committee for the East of England, a position he has
held since 2016. He has also been a trustee of a small military charity
supporting WWII veterans.
Chris is
currently studying for a Professional Doctorate exploring help-seeking narratives,
behaviours, and attitudes amongst veterans. Chris will support veterans in
Cambridgeshire.
Petra Claxton started
her career working with children and young people. She then joined the NHS in a
clinical role and eventually focused on supporting vulnerable and marginalised
individuals in the community. Before joining WWTW, Petra worked with several
homeless charities supporting people experiencing trauma-related mental health
issues. Petra will work across Suffolk.
Claire Norman trained as a nurse and worked in the NHS. She later retrained after achieving a Psychology degree and Criminology diploma. Her higher education led her to work as an Inclusion Officer. Claire has worked for the last 8 years supporting people with mental health and learning disabilities in the community in East Hertfordshire. She will focus on supporting veterans in Hertfordshire.
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