Stonehenge
A former member of the British Armed Forces has been appointed as the Chair of Trustees for a recently launched Wiltshire-based military charity.
Retired Lieutenant Colonel, Mike Jeng MBE, will help develop the strategic direction for the new military mental health charity, Stand Down, which delivers confidential online counselling for serving personnel, veterans and their families.
Mike enlisted into the Army in 1971 and served for 37 years in various locations around the world. He was awarded a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his services to military physiotherapy and rehabilitation.
He has witnessed first-hand the psychological effects of serving in the Armed Forces in both his military and personal life, and knows how beneficial early intervention and support can be.
Mike Jeng says: “I’m delighted to have been voted in as the Chair of Trustees for Stand Down and I look forward to taking the charity forward with my fellow board members.
“As with any health condition, early intervention is vital to an optimum prognosis. The type of low-level support offered by Stand Down’s experienced mental health practitioners, which is completely confidential and easily-accessible from the comfort and security of one’s own home, means that service users can prevent more serious issues from developing further down the line.
“Our plan is to roll out our services nationwide and place ourselves at the forefront of people’s minds when it comes to low level intervention. We want to help de-stigmatise mental health conditions for those who are serving or have served in the military, and provide support to loved ones who may also be affected.”
Stand Down will be offering help, support and advice at a military charity open day at Calne Town Hall between 10am-5pm on Wednesday 8 June.
For further information on Stand Down or to support the charity, please visit www.standdowncharity.co.uk
