Healing Military Minds reaches £250,000 fundraising milestone for veterans' mental health
Hundreds gathered in the Cotswolds for an evening of entertainment, fundraising and moving personal stories as Healing Military Minds passed the £250,000 mark for military mental health charity Combat Stress.
More than 350 people gathered at the De Vere Cotswold Water Park Hotel near Cirencester for the fifth Healing Military Minds fundraising gala ball.
The event, organised by volunteers from Healing Military Minds, brought together members of the Armed Forces community, veterans and supporters to raise money for Combat Stress, the UK charity specialising in mental health support for veterans.
Getting veterans the help they need
Healing Military Minds was founded by Corporal Hayley Court of 622 Squadron RAuxAF at RAF Brize Norton after her own experiences serving in the RAF and seeing the impact military service can have on veterans.
This year's event was particularly significant for Hayley, after she was diagnosed with cancer just eight weeks before the ball.
She underwent an operation two weeks before the event and received the all-clear just days before hundreds of guests arrived at the Cotswold venue.
Despite what had been an exceptionally challenging few weeks, Hayley was determined to be there to continue raising money for veterans' mental health.
For Hayley, the fundraising is about making sure veterans have somewhere to turn when they need help.
"It's so important the veterans get the help that they need," she told BFBS.
She highlighted Combat Stress's 24-hour helpline, which provides confidential support to veterans and their families, alongside the charity's specialist mental health services.
Among those sharing their experiences at Saturday's event was former Corporal Andrew Geelan of The King's Royal Hussars.
Andrew was seriously injured during an IED strike while serving in Afghanistan on Operation HERRICK 16. He suffered a traumatic brain injury and later developed complex PTSD.
Living rather than surviving
Speaking to BFBS, Andrew described how he initially believed he was coping with the physical consequences of his injuries, without recognising the impact they were having on his mental health.
"It took charities like Healing Military Minds and Combat Stress to point out the fact that I wasn't right," he said.
Andrew spent years struggling with the effects of his trauma, including withdrawing from everyday life. He said he spent seven years of his son's life hiding away and avoiding public places.
Now, he says, his life looks very different.
"I'm here with my 10-year-old son, who wasn't born when I discharged from the military," he said.
"Things can change. It will be difficult. It will be hard work… but life can get better."
Andrew said Combat Stress supported him between 2015 and 2023.
"They saved my life," he said.
His message to other veterans was simple: seeking help does not mean someone has failed.
"There will be a lot of people out there who might have suspicions that they're not doing as well as they think, and there are other options."
The fundraising continued throughout the evening, with guests taking part in a raffle and auction featuring a range of prizes, including a flying lesson and Mach Loop experience in a Marchetti SF-260.
The event also showcased performances from RAF Halton Pipes & Drums, RAF Brize Norton Voluntary Band, OJ Sax and The Bluebird Belles, before live music from Fallen Angels and a DJ set brought the evening to a close.
But behind the music, auction lots and celebrations was a much more serious purpose: helping make sure veterans experiencing mental health difficulties have somewhere to turn.
For Andrew, the impact of that support is something he knows first-hand.
"The money just doesn't go to a faceless charity," he said.
"It goes to fund somebody answering the phone or somebody getting trauma therapy."
And after years of feeling as though he was simply surviving, Andrew says the support helped him find a way forward.
"You can live rather than survive."
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