A Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder growth charity, providing military veterans a new mission and brings aid in crisis situations, is seeking a critical funding boost for 2023.
Veterans In Action (VIA) is a team of ex-servicemen and women whose actions bring hope to others, while at the same time helping them to recover from severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), find new purpose, and discover a renewed sense of adventure, to help knit back together lives that have been truly torn apart.
VIA is the brainchild of former Royal Engineer, Billy MacLeod MBE, who suffered from his own mental health issues on leaving the military due to an injury sustained in the course of duty. Having found a way through the condition, Billy, using the skillsets learned in the Royal Engineers and, after studying what was happening with veterans who were suffering around the world, realised he could do something to help others who had served in HM Armed Forces and who were suffering through the effects of war – or who had found the transition to civilian life difficult.
For 12 years Billy and his small have created a base from which to operate, a squadron of go-anywhere Land-Rover vehicles and an ever-expanding group of people who build, maintain and operate them, while at the same time benefitting from everything VIA has to offer.
VIA is fuelled by a sense of adventure and, like many small charities, is funded by largely private donations as well as a number of commercial activities, keeping things turning over. Recently VIA had been extremely close to securing a major funding partner to ensure its future, but the changes in the economy resulted in the late withdrawal of its would-be benefactor. This means the charity is now looking for a vital injection of funding to ensure its work can continue throughout 2023 and beyond.
Billy explains: “Veterans In Action is primarily an expeditionary organisation, but we have an inbuilt sense of service to whoever needs it. When Covid-19 struck we used our vehicles to deliver essential supplies to the most vulnerable in Hampshire and, in the last year, we have put our efforts into running relief convoys of much needed aid and supplies to the Ukraine. We were a long way down the line with what we thought would be a funding deal to allow us to continue and even expand our operations, so this is a blow – but we are nothing if not resourceful.”
Billy continues: “We have had some good support from automotive companies, by way of product help, which helps bring down our costs but ultimately like all charities, we need funds.”
VIA is linked to a scheme which allows people to contribute a small amount on a monthly basis -and is now looking to get 1000 people subscribing to that at £10 per month. It is also seeking further corporate tie-ups.
VIA is also looking for a minimum of 100 businesses who could donate £1,000 giving the charity the security to continue the valuable work they carry out, to help veterans who suffer. Companies can be among the first to sign up to this scheme by contacting billy.macleod@veteransinaction.org.uk.
