Downton charity helping heroes transition to civilian life with sport
Help for Heroes has launched a Wheelchair Basketball club in Tidworth
A South Wiltshire charity is helping veterans adapt to life out of the military with a wheelchair basketball club.
It's been set up by Downton-based Help for Heroes as part of their Community Clubs programme, which aims to help veterans in their transition through sport.
The first taster session was held in Tidworth and has been created with the assistance of British Wheelchair Basketball, with the coaching delivered by Nova Sports & Coaching.
Jodie Amor from Help for Heroes told us veterans can find the transition to civilian life tough.
"Leaving the armed forces can be a difficult time for many veterans," she said.
Jodie added: "It's important that they get that support and that that they need during this transition. And obviously sporting and social activities are vital in reducing social isolation as veterans lose that camaraderie and togetherness."
During weekend-long Community club taster sessions, veterans are encouraged to get involved in as many sports as possible.
"We always say just turn up, give it a go, have a bit of fun, learn some new skills, but there's always that competitive element," Jodie told us.
She added that when the competitive element is introduced, the team spirit between veterans is obvious.
"They're instantly like a family, they all intertwine, link and communicate so well, but the camaraderie behind it is essential and there really is that team cohesion instantly."
Despite the anxiety beforehand, Jodie revealed that by the end of the weekends, veterans are swapping phone numbers, connecting on social media and setting up groups to get people to more sessions.
The feedback received has been overwhelmingly positive, Jodie told us.
She shared the response of a veteran, who used to cycle three to four times a week before getting injured, but had since gone almost five years without proper sporting activity - and through multiple knee surgeries.
"He mentioned he'd not done anything in such a long time and he very nearly went home due to the anxiety but he didn't. And he said it was one of the best choices that he'd ever made," she said.
That veteran has now joined the wheelchair Rugby club and now finds himself in a much better place.
Jodie said they're proud of what they've set up already, but they're determined to do more.
"It's definitely rewarding," she said, "It's something that we want to keep working towards and get more people too.
"This is just one of the first clubs that we're creating, we've currently got three, but we want to keep building that and get out into the community."