Hollywood A list actor Michael Sheen has fulfilled a long-standing promise to Healing The Wounds, the Welsh charity which helps treat PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder).
The actor pledged to get first-hand experience of the charity’s work when he agreed to become a patron of Healing The Wounds.
Today, he attended one of the charity’s treatment courses held at the Parc y Scarlets rugby stadium in Llanelli.
Healing the Wounds founder and executive director Kevin Richards said: “We have been very fortunate to have Michael as a patron of the charity and feel privileged that a Welsh actor, whose roots are in Port Talbot, has taken such a genuine interest in the charity and the plight of our veterans suffering post traumatic stress disorder.
“Michael has requested that he be kept up to date on the charity’s progress toward its quest to acquire a short-term residential treatment facility in Wales to enable the continued support of our veterans and their families.”
Mr Richards added: “Michael Sheen comes across as a really lovely guy, hugely interested in the work we do as a charity.
“He is a very busy guy, but he found time in his busy schedule to talk to veterans and to members of the Healing The Wounds charity team.
“Michael spoke to four veterans and their partners and heard their accounts of life as sufferers of combat trauma and the debilitating impact it has on individuals and their families.
“Michael was particularly interested to learn how the process of their individually tailored treatment had changed negative attitudes to life.”
Also present to act as hosts at Parc y Scarlets were Llanelli Scarlets rugby legends Gareth Jenkins and Rupert Moon.
The Scarlets kindly provided the venue for the charity to deliver treatment to the veterans.
Healing The Wounds treatment practitioner Carol Richards said all the veterans involved in treatments sessions at Parc y Scarlets appreciated the visit from Michael Sheen.
“It did wonders for their morale,” she said.
Michael Sheen said: “Healing the Wounds is doing such hugely important work providing support and help for our troops after they have done so much for us.
“Mental health issues still have such a stigma attached to them, and these incredibly brave men and women, having faced such horrors, deserve the very best that we can provide for them in order to once again lead healthy, pain-free lives. Healing the Wounds does exactly that and I can think of no more worthy a cause to support.”
Rachel Phillips, from Healing the Wounds added:
“Healing The Wounds has received tremendous support from Welsh communities and having the opportunity to offer treatments at fantastic venues such as Parc y Scarlets makes all the difference.
“Our goal is to provide a dedicated treatment facility where we’ll be able to provide short-term residential treatment courses. In the interim we are extremely appreciative of the help and support we receive from places like Parc y Scarlets.
“Our future plans are to provide a residential facility that will give them the treatment they deserve in a peaceful, home from home environment.”
For more information, see the charity’s website is at http://www.healingthewounds.co.uk
