Public Urged to Send Christmas Messages to Veterans

The public is encouraged to send supportive messages to veterans facing difficulties this Christmas. In the previous year, the Armed Forces’ charity Help for Heroes organized a campaign that resulted in thousands of messages of hope being delivered to isolated veterans. According to the charity, these messages served as a potent acknowledgment of the veterans’ service and motivated them to seek assistance. David Morris, a 45-year-old resident of Ruskington, Lincolnshire, who dedicated 22 years to service in the RAF, stated: “Christmas can become a time filled with dread rather than a celebration and it is important veterans are not forgotten, particularly at this time, between Remembrance and the new year.” Mr. Morris, who held a non-flying position with the Red Arrows when he received a diagnosis of severe post-traumatic stress disorder in 2011, described the impact of his condition, saying he was “scared of his own shadow” and “didn’t even want to leave the house”. He further commented: “During military service, men and women have a strong support network and a close-knit community, but transitioning to civilian life can destroy that.“Sending a message of hope at Christmas also helps highlight ongoing issues, such as veterans’ mental health, homelessness and access to resources, which are critical to address.“I know from last year that receiving messages from Help for Heroes supporters made a massive difference to some and showed there are people out there who care. It also encouraged veterans to come forward and get support. And that’s as important now as it ever was.” Help for Heroes has provided support to Mr. Morris since 2017, the year he participated in the Invictus Games in Sydney. Subsequently, he served as vice-captain for Team UK during the 2020 Games, which were postponed and held in The Hague in 2022. The charity reported a 54 percent increase in requests for assistance in 2024 and aims to motivate a greater number of individuals from the public to send messages to an even larger veteran population. Individuals interested in participating can submit a message on the dedicated online message wall. Last year, the charity confirmed that Christmas cards containing supportive messages were dispatched from this platform to over 9,500 veterans.