Call to send Christmas messages of hope to Wiltshire's veterans
Downton's Help for Heroes is running a festive message campaign
A Wiltshire charity is urging us to extend the hand of friendship to isolated veterans in the county this Christmas.
The call comes from Downton-based Help for Heroes, who are running their annual Christmas card campaign to support former service personnel.
Last year, thousands of messages of hope were sent to isolated veterans as part of the charity's campaign, which encouraged veterans to reach out for support that changed their lives.
For some it was the only card they received that year and for others it was a powerful reminder of their service and the support that is still out there.
Wiltshire veteran, Spencer Bull, spent 29 years in the Army as an infantry officer before being medically discharged in 2017.
He says those are the veterans likely to be struggling most.
"They're leaving something that they've grown accustomed to, through no choice of their own, and they've had to go out and start again effectively, in the civilian environment, as a veteran and that can be tough," he said.
Spencer told us that being on the receiving end of the support messages makes a massive difference, having got a card in the post himself last year.
"It put a smile on my face," he said, adding: "just getting a letter through the post addressed to you and a few nice words really means a lot and certainly for the next 24 hours, you're like, wow, that's great!"
He said it's vital to remind former service personnel that they're not alone.
Spencer said: "It's allowing those who are struggling to with isolation and loneliness to realise that there are there are people out there thinking of them and that goes a long way. So they shouldn't consider themselves to be on their own."
He added that small acts like a pat on the back, saying hello and smiling or sharing a brew with a veteran are powerful acts in reducing the sense of isolation.