COMMUNITY
A Way Back Phoenix House Recovery Centre
Run by Help 4 Heroes, Phoenix House in West Yorkshire is where injured, wounded and sick serving personnel, veterans and their families can be assured of the welfare support they need.
S
erving personnel and veterans from all three services with health and wellbeing needs are very welcome.
Flight Sergeant Ged Almond was medically discharged in Nov 12. And it was the support of the Help for Heroes Phoenix House Recovery Centre that came to his rescue before discharge and since, helping him on the road to recovery from the depths of clinical depression and paranoia.
Ged had had a thoroughly rewarding career in the RAF which he loved. Notably he had deployments to the Falklands and Bosnia and worked in Europe with NATO.
His skills at skiing gave him 18 years with the RAF Ski Team, firstly as a competitor, then, as well as his day job, Ged became the RAF Ski Team’s Development Coach and Manager. It was during his time with the Combined Services that he was awarded an AOCs Commendation for his outstanding achievement in Winter Sports.
With a 31-year career in the RAF behind him it all came to a grinding halt when he was discharged after a period of sick leave.
Two years earlier, Ged had been diagnosed with acute reaction psychosis after a breakdown at King’s Cross Station. From that point on he became introverted and hid himself away from the world.
Eighteen months into his illness, he discovered Phoenix House and it became his life-line back. Ged received all the help he needed. He said: “I would not be here now if it wasn’t for the support of Phoenix House.”
It was a gradual build-up of stress, from two traumatic instances earlier in his career that led to his eventual breakdown. At the time, Ged was the IT Systems Manager for RAF Northolt. He was placed under the care
34 Envoy Autumn 2013
of the RAF Personal Recovery Unit at High Wycombe, medical treatment was carried out at RAF Leeming and by the Director of Community Mental Health at Catterick, near to his family home in Northallerton.
But it was to be a year and a half before Ged learned of the facilities available just down the road at Help for Heroes Northern Recovery Centre.
“I was then introduced to staff there and told I could visit Phoenix House, get on courses and have contact with both the military and civil side.”
Ged has since taken a number of courses, including life skills, First Aid at work and outward bound activities and writing an effective CV.
“I regularly come in here to give my family a break from me,” he said.
“It was quite difficult for them knowing I was in the house, shutting myself off from the world. But here, I keep active and meet people. You feel part of a community, without any pressure.”
As an outgoing and active person, Ged said the staff at Phoenix House had helped him become himself again.
“There are lots of people like me out there and mental illness is not something you should hide away. The way I looked at it, the Air Force was like a big mother to me and then Phoenix House picked up those reins, along with my family.”
Ged has used the Centre to find wider contacts for help through the British Legion and Citizens Advice as well as the Careers Transition Partnership.
www.raf-ff.org.uk
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