Earlier this year, Ceri and Dr Chris Kay, Senior Research Fellow and Neurobiologist, at Leeds Beckett University, started discussing how we could assist our British nuclear test veterans free of charge in a number of practical ways throughout the year, to build their confidence and create camaraderie so they aren't reliant on just annual reunions each year for kinship.

Chris works with wounded, injured and sick military personnel on a project called Battle Back. This is delivered and researched by Leeds Beckett University staff on behalf of The Royal British Legion and is funded by the Ministry of Defence.

At The Battle Back Centre, week long courses are delivered that encompass adaptive adventurous training and personal development for military personnel who are recovering from injury or illness. Chris oversees the longevity research which is conducted in line with these courses, gathering information to understand the part these experiences have in facilitating the participant's recovery.

Chris is keen to understand our British nuclear test veterans and their families, and ensure that the Futures Strategy of the RBL includes the people that the BNTVA as the UK Charity for nuclear test veterans work with each day. We are currently collaborating with Leeds Beckett Neurobiologists and the RBL to create more bespoke course for our British nuclear test veterans.

Chris Joynson, Recovery Support Manager at the Battle Back Centre,  has continued this discussion with the BNTVA. Chris served for over 36 years in the Army and previously ran a Personnel Recovery Unit in the West Midlands.  He works with serving personnel and veterans and has included Chelsea Pensioners within Battle Back activity courses.

Chris says,

"We use adaptive sport and adventure training activities as the medium for our courses around which we conduct a number of different wellbeing and recovery interventions – sleep hygiene, healthy eating, alcohol, anger management, stress to mention a few. In order to benefit from our courses veterans need to be independently mobile and self-medicating as there is no nursing or care related assistance on site.

We would happy to welcome any BNVTA veteran on to one of our veterans courses."

This is new territory for the BNTVA but not for Battle Back as the RBL provided £27 million to establish and operate The Battle Back Centre, at the Lilleshall National Sports and Conferencing Centre in Shropshire. We are keen to provide courses for our nuclear test veterans at this beautiful location and Battle Back are keen for our nuclear test veterans to take part in the activities. The Battle Back Centre | Leeds Beckett University

Due to the sheer professionalism and training of the staff at Battle Back, we believe this to be a safe zone and possible for some of our veterans to participate in. Activities are on offer for all who can register their interest with the BNTVA to become involved in the activity courses from early this summer.

Activities include archery, canoeing, assisted cycling and climbing (in a basket if necessary). The staff at Battle Back work regularly with three-limb amputees and people with physical issues, including sensory loss of sight or hearing, and these professionals are fully equipped to assist our nuclear test veterans.

Courses take place throughout the year and the staff are fully qualified to ensure paramount safety.

The courses commence on a Monday and finish on a Friday. They are completely free to our veterans so your only cost would be for travel from home to Battle Back Lilleshall, Shropshire and back. If the cost of this is an issue and you have limited savings, please contact the BNTVA on 0208 144 3080, through the website or by info@bntva.com where we can put you in touch with our sister charity, the Nuclear Community Charity Fund (NCCF), to cover this cost.

If you don't want to wait for the next BNTVA reunion to meet military veterans and are interested in taking part in a fully funded Battle Back course, please speak to us.

We attach a link to what to expect during a Battle Back week long course A week at the Battle Back Centre | Royal British Legion