Walking with the Wounded Walking Home For Christmas

What is Walking Home For Christmas?

Join forces and offer hope to veterans and their families who are struggling this Christmas.

#WalkingHomeforChristmas is a fun walking challenge, raising money for those who have served to keep us safe.

Simply plan your own route and distance, encourage friends, family, work colleagues to join you and serve those who served us.

About

Offer hope this Christmas to veterans and their families by registering for #WalkingHomeForChristmas, a fun walking challenge to raise money for those who have served us.

Apply: https://www.walkinghomeforchristmas.com/

Every day seven people leave the Armed Forces with life-changing injuries and for many more the transition from the structured world of the military is challenging.

All at once these highly-trained individuals lose the camaraderie, purpose and careers which have once been their life, having an impact on both them and their family’s future.

Why walk?

By organising a walk and fundraising you will directly support Walking With The Wounded and Help for Heroes’ recovery programmes to help ‘at risk’ veterans and their families lead independent lives, through physical and emotional rehabilitation, identifying new career opportunities and financial and welfare support.

Both charities work together in support of a common goal, supporting those who served, which is why we have joined forces to get more supporters #WalkingHomeForChristmas.

So, what better time to give something back to those who have given so much?

Ideas

Your walk is your chance to tell a story of locations or people important to you, or challenging yourself to achieve something you’ve not done before...

• Walk home from work
• Walk to a friend's house
• Walk from one meaningful location to another

Wherever your walk, and however far, involve your friends, reach out to old friends, make it challenging for you, and raise money for the cause.

Why your fundraising is so important

By signing up to walk you will be supporting Walking With The Wounded and Help For Heroes to tackle two critical issues:

Secure employment

Employment is a key factor in regaining independence and providing long-term security for veterans and their families. Our Employment Advisors support veterans who are homeless, in police custody or suffering with mental health issues.

Mental Health

Your efforts will fund crucial therapy which can save jobs, relationships and lives. We work with the NHS to cut waiting times by providing one-to-one private therapy for veterans with anxiety, depression or PTSD within an average of four days after receiving consent.

Duncan's Story

Duncan joined the Army in December 1989, enlisting in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) and served on operational tours in Northern Ireland, Macedonia, Kosovo and before leaving the Army in 2001.

He struggled with his transition to civilian life and after battling with alcohol dependence and depression he was diagnosed with PTSD in 2009.

Duncan had several jobs since leaving the Army, including working for a health club, being self-employed as a Personal Trainer and working as a fishmonger, but after being made redundant in 2014 he suffered a period of work and life difficulties and found himself homeless and in financial trouble.

He was offered a place at a homeless hostel for ex-military where he received support from a Walking With The Wounded Employment Mentor, sourcing employment opportunities and assisting with CV advice and interview practice.

Duncan is now a Sales Advisor for a local travel company and able to support his son.

He said: “I am looking forward to spending Christmas with my son as I can now afford to give him the Christmas he deserves.”

“I am supporting Walking Home For Christmas because there are ex-soldiers out on the streets and this will help support them and help make their lives better”