Celebrity Hunted star and Armed Forces veteran Nichola Tidd backs campaign supporting veterans this Christmas

Channel 4 Hunted star and Royal Navy and Army Intelligence veteran, Nichola Tidd, is backing Armed Forces charity Walking With The Wounded (WWTW) as the celebrity ambassador for its festive fundraiser, Walking Home For Christmas.

To mark the campaign launch, WWTW joined military cadets for a symbolic walk through London today, highlighting the importance of supporting veterans and their families this Christmas.

The campaign invites people to complete a sponsored walk anywhere, at any time, supporting those who served.

Walking from the Cenotaph in Whitehall to HMS President near Tower Bridge, the group carried a weighted rucksack carrying gift tags describing what home means to the cadets. The walk kickstarted the Walking Home For Christmas 15,000,000 steps community challenge.

Having experienced post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Nichola understands first-hand the challenges some veterans face when leaving the Armed Forces and finding their place in civilian life.

Honoured to return as this year’s campaign Ambassador, Nichola said: “Christmas brings people together, but for some veterans, it can be incredibly difficult.

“The Armed Forces give you community, purpose and belonging. For many, it’s a second home. Leaving can mean losing that overnight. Through employment, care coordination and mental health support, Walking With The Wounded helps veterans and their families rebuild that sense of belonging. Because home isn’t just somewhere you live; it’s somewhere you feel you belong."

Following in her father’s footsteps, Nichola joined the Royal Navy at 18. During her 10-year career, she deployed to Iraq, was seconded to Army Intelligence and completed a further operational tour of Afghanistan.

After experiencing PTSD symptoms during service, she left the Armed Forces in 2015 and received NHS treatment. She has since spoken openly about her recovery and the mental health challenges former service personnel can face.

The sense of belonging is central to the Walking Home For Christmas campaign with recent research conducted by WWTW highlighting that one in four UK veterans (25%) and one in five UK adults (21%) are concerned about spending Christmas alone this year. Additionally, two in five veterans (40%) and one in four UK adults (26%) expressed worries regarding their mental health.

The survey was conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Walking With The Wounded. It surveyed 2,000 UK adults and 500 UK veterans about their experiences, concerns and perceptions of home ahead of the festive season.