North East veterans make Christmas gifts to keep PTSD at bay
It's part of a Help for Heroes project to help veterans suffering from anxiety and post-military mental health problems.
North East veterans say learning to craft Christmas decorations is helping to keep their crippling post-traumatic stress disorder under control.
Bob Taylor used to serve with the Gordon Highlanders, and was deployed as ground crew following the Lockerbie bombing in 1988.
It was not until the 25th anniversary of the disaster that Bob started to develop symptoms of what was initially thought to be depression, but was diagnosed as PTSD.
At his lowest, Bob found himself accelerating towards the back of a truck during a drive out, slowing down at the very last moment, and seeking medical help.
He was put in touch with Help for Heroes who trained him up in woodwork.
He's now one of several veterans who are busy fulfilling orders for Christmas gifts and decorations.
He said: "I'd sit in the classroom and get on with what I was doing, I wouldn't talk to anybody.
"But then as my confidence grew again, I started talking to some of the guys and we have a bit of a banter going, so it's like being back in the barracks.
"We look out for each other, we know when each other's having a bad day and we don't dwell on it.
"It's made a huge difference, if it wasn't for the workshop I wouldn't be here now.
"I would have done away with myself, the workshop has really saved me."
And it's a similar story for Ted Granger, a former RAF ground crew member.
He wasn't diagnosed with PTSD until 2007, despite leaving the services in 1994.
Not only are the 47-year-old's symptoms reduced by working in the shop, Ted's hoping it could lead to a new career.
He's hoping to convert their project into a fully fledged not-for-profit business.
He said: "There's still that sort of stigma of if you've got two arms and two legs why don't you work for a living?
"I'm out more, I don't drink as much, I don't go sit in the woods at 3am as much.
"You haven't got the outside world in, you've got ex-military people in there and that's why we sort of get on."
While the team are fully booked up to Christmas, you can see the work the team do on their Facebook page .