Mental health charity Solent Mind has expanded its support for families of serving military personnel, with the launch of a new wellbeing service for serving British Army and Royal Air Force families.
Run by Solent Mind, and funded by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, the new ‘Military Minds’ service helps families of the British Army and Royal Air Force navigate the challenges of service life by providing access to mental health support when needed.
The service offers a safe and supportive space to talk with staff who have lived experience, alongside free resources to help manage mental health and wellbeing, and signposting to additional local services and groups.
Robynne Batley-Mallett, Mental Health Navigator at Military Minds, Solent Mind, said: “Frequent moving, stress around deployment, loneliness – there’s a lot to contend with when you’re living with a partner, child or parent in the British Army or Royal Air Force and it’s not uncommon for military families to need some extra support. And, with the current situation in the Middle East creating additional uncertainty for many serving personnel, anxiety may feel especially high for military families right now.
“We want to ensure that British Army and Royal Air Force families know how and where to access that support when they need it. Military Minds is integral to this, so we’re incredibly pleased to be working with the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust to provide this service and help promote better mental health amongst the military community.”
Anna Wright, CEO at Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, added: “The mental challenges of forces life and its impacts at home can be complex for all members of a family. It’s through partnerships like this – with charities which also service the civilian population and have connective tissue like the wider national Mind network – that we can really establish the garden of support that needs to grow up around forces partners. I look forward to seeing it bloom.”
For more information about Solent Mind’s Military Mind’s service or to access support, visit solentmind.org.uk/support-for-you/our-services/military-minds, email [email protected] or call 0303 003 4239.
Solent Mind also provides support for Royal Navy and Royal Marines serving personnel and their families through its Anchoring Minds service, which offers mental health and wellbeing support tailored to the unique challenges of naval service life. For more information, visit solentmind.org.uk/support-for-you/our-services/anchoring-minds.
See also: Health and Wellbeing
