Combat Stress is the leading charity specialising in the care of British Veterans who have been profoundly traumatised by harrowing experiences during their Service career – and who are suffering from poor mental health as a result.

Many Veterans leave the Armed Forces with highly debilitating conditions such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety disorders. Their problems can remain masked for years, and they and their families may be struggling to deal with matters at home. Combat Stress is able to provide two integrated services to meet Veterans' needs:

• Dedicated, short-stay clinical treatment 
  
• Community outreach just where it is most needed

They are currently working with over 300 Veterans of the ongoing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. And demand for their unique services continues to rise, with 1,257 new cases referred to them last year alone – and not just from recent conflicts.

Their clients have served in every military and peace-keeping operation that British Forces have been involved in since the Second World War, including Korea, Aden, Cyprus, the Falklands, Northern Ireland, Kosovo, Bosnia, the Gulf, Sierra Leone – and now the Middle East. 

Since their formation in 1919, Combat Stress has helped almost 100,000 Veterans, drawn from all branches and all ranks of the Royal Navy, the Army and the Royal Air Force, as well as the Merchant Navy and Allied Services

SMART UK have now trained several of their healthcare professionals to provide auricular acupuncture having seen far too often the close link to addiction and substance misuse within ex-service personnel - the unit in Ayr continues to lead the way for treatment diversity and the compassion and dedication shown there is breath-taking.  

SMART UK are delighted to nominate Combat Stress as their charity of choice for the coming SMART UK clinical year and all monies collected at their clinic and in other events will be sent through to the team there.  If you would like to find out more about how you can help or about the work done by Combat Stress do call us on 01926 311912