From beneficiary to colleague: Veteran joins WWTW as a Care Coordinator

A veteran who was supported into employment by Walking With The Wounded has come full circle after joining the organisation as a Care Coordinator. 

Bryn, who served for 10 years in the Army, will now support fellow veterans through WWTW’s Care Coordination programme, which helps people facing challenges including housing, finances, employment, debt management, and alcohol or drug use.

Bryn served as an Infantryman with the elite 1st Battalion, Parachute Regiment (1 PARA), deploying to Kosovo, Sierra Leone, Northern Ireland and Iraq. The physical demands of service eventually led him to leave the Armed Forces.

After leaving the military, Bryn built a successful career in the private security sector. In 2006, while working in Iraq, the vehicle he was travelling in struck an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), causing life-changing injuries, including the loss of part of his right leg and part of his bowel.

In the years that followed, Bryn started his own business, but when it failed, the experience had a significant impact on his mental health and well-being. He accessed specialist support through the Military Veterans’ Service and NHS Pennine Care before later contacting WWTW for employment support.

With WWTW’s help, Bryn began to rebuild his confidence and retrained as a Senior Peer Support Navigator, completing courses including Dementia Awareness, Mental Health First Aid and Peer Navigator training.

Speaking about his appointment, Bryn said: “I was supported by WWTW through the Employment programme, and I want to help veterans like me who need a helping hand. I know first-hand the impact the charity can have and the difference its support makes. I’m excited to get stuck in, build a caseload and show people that you really can come full circle.”

David Lowe, WWTW Regional Manager, said:“Bryn’s story is a powerful example of the difference the right support can make. Having once been supported by WWTW, he is now using his own experience to help fellow veterans through our Care Coordination programme. We have a number of veterans among our staff, which helps those we support know that we genuinely understand what they are going through and can help them move forward.”