Soldiering On Awards Finalists In Their Own Words As Votes Deadline Looms
In the final full week of voting for the Soldiering On Awards People's Choice prize, Forces Network has had the honour of meeting a number of people who have contributed towards the success of each finalist.
Voting is open until midnight UK time on Monday - you can take a look here at how to have your say via the Soldiering On Awards website.
Take a look below if you would like to find out more about why each finalist has been nominated...
Services To Film
Services To Film managing director Dickie Trant came to our studios to tell us about the 100% veteran-owned company, which provides ex-service personnel with employment as extras in the UK film industry, whilst at the same time raising funds for service charities.
It's given work to more than 700 veterans - working on films like Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Fury - and has paid them almost ÂŁ400,000 so far.
The company has also provided tank crews for Fury, starring Brad Pitt, drill instructors and military drummers for Testament of Youth, and former fast jet pilots to advise X-Wing 'pilots' in Star Wars on how to act more realistically.
Dickie told Forces Network's William Warren:
"It gives people who are leaving the Army, or any of the forces, an opportunity to earn a bit of money as they transition from service life to their next career."
"I think it's fair to say there is a paucity of that sort of opportunity... in the film industry as it stands at the moment.
"There's a demand, there's loads of really qualified, great guys and girls with the added extra of the military 'can-do' attitude - so it's a really good formula."
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Venture Trust - Positive Futures
The Venture Trust's Positive Futures programme supports ex-service personnel who are struggling with the transition to civilian life.
It forms part of a programme of personal development that helps participants to develop the life skills to see things differently and make positive changes.
It also sees veterans embark on a "wilderness journey", designed to provide time and space away from existing surroundings, which uses the outdoors as a catalyst for positive change, redeploying skills learnt within the military to be utilised in civilian life.
Its head of funding and contracts, Malcolm Jack, told John-Paul Tooth:
"We take people into the Scottish wilderness with other veterans that they don't know.
"It's a pretty intensive personal development programme, looking at some of their habits, some of their behaviours, some of their choices and see how we can work to change those and make those work better for them."
"Ultimately, when they come back home they can make positive and lasting changes in their lives, which quite often translates to moving into jobs or training, but quite often also is about rebuilding relationships with family, rebuilding a social network even."
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Daniel Fielding - Turn To Starboard
Royal Marine veteran Dan Fielding told Forces Network last week how he reached the depths of despair after being medically discharged with a spinal injury in 2008, following 11 years' service with 42 Commando.
He said he then struggled to cope with depressive moments that made him become "someone I wasn't" and 'not the best dad in the world'.
Dan managed to turn his life around, however, following an introduction to Cornish sailing charity Turn to Starboard in 2015. He told us:
"For guys and girls like me to be put forward for something [like the People's Choice Award] is pretty awesome."
"It gives us that impetus to go forward... It's a real honour... so thank you very much."
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The Not Forgotten Association
The Not Forgotten Association was formed in 1920 to provide comfort, cheer and entertainment for injured service personnel.
It aims to enable veterans and service personnel to get together to share stories, open up about their struggles and share coping strategies.
The charity has been nominated by a Gulf War veteran who suffers from physical ailments and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of their service.
Not Forgotten Association chief executive James Stopford told us:
"Whether you've served a day in uniform or 36 years in uniform... If you've served your country... and you need a bit of help, need a boost, then we are there to help you.
"It's a huge honour to be selected and very nice that one of our beneficiaries felt so strong about the support we've given her that she put us forward."
"The most important thing for me, though, is that in a time when the Armed Forces are not engaged in major operations... this is an opportunity to raise awareness for those 2.8 million veterans around the United Kingdom."
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Luke Delahunty
Eight years into a career as a gunner with the RAF Regiment - and having seen tours in Germany, Northern Ireland and Cyprus - Luke Delahunty faced having to rebuild his life at just 24 after a motorbike accident left him paralysed from the chest down.
He has since helped inspire young people facing the same diagnosis, however, after letting go of his anger at having his career cut short.
Luke became a mentor for people at the National Spinal Injuries Centre in Stoke Mandeville Hospital, seeking out those who were overwhelmed by the unexpected turn their lives had taken.
He visits schools and gives talks to young people demonstrating how to overcome adversity and achieve their goals, including teaching them what it means to be a wheelchair user and the opportunities available.
As well as achieving selection to the UK Team for the Invictus Games, not once but twice, Luke also cycled to Paris and been on scuba diving and skiing trips.
Speaking about being nominated for the People's Choice Award, he told us:
"I'm up against some really stiff competition in this category and all of them [the finalists] are very, very worthy causes. I'm just glad to be part of it, go along with the ride and just enjoy it while I can!"
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The Invictus Games Choir
The Invictus Games Choir enables participants to experience recovery through the power of choral singing.
It's designed for singers of all abilities and has helped wounded, injured and sick (WIS) veterans and serving personnel to sing in a group, in public, as part of their recovery.
Members of the choir have sung in a number of amazing venues, from Twickenham to Canterbury Cathedral.
Organisers say the therapeutic benefits of singing are similar to those gained from participating in sport and being given the opportunity to sing with like-minded people who've been through similar experiences can help to recapture the camaraderie of the military.
Two key members of the choir are Carolyn Crissman and Dr Allie Bennington. Carolyn told us:
"Our hope is that this award helps us reach more even more folks that could be brought in and helped."
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