The organisers of the Healing the Wounds Golden Grove Mansion Appeal have been bowled over by the response to a ITV Wales
programme featuring their campaign.
“It has made a huge difference to public awareness,” said Kevin Richards, Director of Healing the Wounds, the appeal fund which aims to turn the famous Golden Grove Mansion in the Tywi Valley into a convalescent home for the Armed Forces.
“The appeal is already being talked about within the local community, but the HTV Wales Sharp End programme took us to a whole new, national level,” said Mr Richards.
“The feedback to the programme has been tremendous. A lot of people out there are unaware of the difficulties our servicemen and servicewomen face when they return from the battlefields and when they try to rebuild their lives in the civilian community.”
The programme presented the shock statistic (reported by the Howard League for Penal Reform) that as many as one in 10 of British soldiers who have fought overseas end up in jail after they leave the army.
“That is a very shocking figure and illustrates the challenge that we face in making sure that the proper support and care is provided to people when they leave the services or return from the horrors of the battlefield.
“Plaid Cymru MP Elfyn Llwyd spoke very eloquently on the programme. He has been warning that the numbers of people ending up in jail and in trouble could be even higher in future as more troops return from battle.
“They often suffer from post traumatic stress disorder and Mr Llwyd has been very vocal already in calling on the Government to fund a specialist treatment centre in Wales.”
Mr Richards added: “Our Healing the Wounds appeal would aim to create just such a centre at Gelli Aur Golden Grove Mansion and all we need is a total of £200,000 to kick-start the project and exchange contracts on a property which would be ideal as a convalescent centre.
“As well as looking to treat post traumatic stress disorder, we would also be able to build in retraining programmes, where people leaving the armed forces can learn new skills, everything from being a plumber or a plasterer or an electrician.
“The Sharp End programme has really helped focus the minds of the people of Wales that this is a worthy, much-needed project. Of crucial importance is the fact that we have a centre in Wales to treat and help the people of Wales.”
For more information see the Healing the Wounds website – http://www.occasionsdvd.co.uk/index.php
