Public Services students and staff are walking home for Christmas to support veterans’ mental health

Today, Public Services students and staff from Tamworth College have taken on a 20km walking challenge to raise money for the Walking With The Wounded’s as part of their ‘Walking home for Christmas’ campaign.

The group has aspirations to secure future careers within the Armed Forces and Emergency Services, walked from the National Memorial Arboretum and ‘Walked home for Christmas’ to Tamworth College.

Public Services course tutors Ian Pringle and Phill Taber led the walk, who between them have served over 35 years in HM Forces with the RAF and Royal Engineers.

Public Services course tutor, Ian Pringle said “I enjoyed a 22-year career in the Armed Forces and know the importance and impact of charities like Walking With The Wounded. I am walking with a group of staff and students from Tamworth College to help raise awareness and funds to support veteran mental health this Christmas and to help ensure that no one is left behind from lockdown.”

If you’d like to support the students in their fundraising efforts, its not too late, you can donate using the following link – https://bit.ly/31DTEjW.

Information about the Walking Home for Christmas campaign

Walking Home for Christmas is an annual fundraising campaign for Walking With The Wounded, a charity that provides mental health, employment, care coordination and volunteering opportunities for vulnerable veterans. The campaign encourages anyone from any walk of life to register and fundraise by undertaking a walk to support veterans that need it.

This year, Walking Home For Christmas is raising money to ensure that no-one is left behind from the lockdowns. The campaign is focusing on supporting veterans and their family members who have been affected by the mental health epidemic that has engulfed the country during the pandemic.

New research commissioned by Walking With The Wounded to support Walking Home For Christmas, found that Brits are still suffering an impact on their mental health caused by lockdowns enforced during the pandemic. 4 in 5 of those surveyed said that they still suffer from the effects on their mental health.

Walkers from previous years have dedicated their walks to loved ones who have been in or have fallen serving our country, have walked to a war memorial, run errands for friends and family or supported their local community.

The campaign invites anyone to register for free, receive a branded Santa hat and do a sponsored walk home, somewhere important to them anytime between 10th -20th December. Head to www.walkinghomeforchristmas.com and register for your free fundraising pack.