Parliament hosts charity finding outdoor careers for veterans

Homeland April 6, 2019

A Parliament reception hosted a charity assisting armed forces personnel and veterans find outdoor careers post-service.

HighGround is a charity based in the capital that finds outdoor careers such as agricultural work for veterans and serving personnel. They also provide horticultural therapy to wounded veterans and is now delivered through the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre (DMRC) after a successful pilot scheme.

The reception was held at the start of March and highlighted HighGround’s work. Parliamentarians were given the opportunity to give their support to the charity and learn about its work.

The founder of HighGround Anna Baker Cresswell said: “There are so many people, both currently serving or who have recently completed their service, who find it hard to see their next chapter after leaving the armed forces.”

“This can make them feel lost or overwhelmed, especially if they’ve sustained a serious injury in the line of duty. Our aim at HighGround is to show those who have served their country that there is support after leaving the armed forces. It was great to see so many parliamentarians attend our reception, and we were honoured that Tobias Ellwood made the time to come to our reception.”

Minister for Defence People and Veterans Tobias Ellwood said: “Our armed forces leave the military with a fantastic range of skills, but it can be difficult to know how to apply them in a civilian environment. I applaud HighGround for its support of those who have served our country, helping them realise their full potential in new careers in the agriculture sector.”

The charity has partnered with The Royal Foundation and is due to run a pilot scheme at HMP Dartmoor. They are also planning to run programmes at various agricultural colleges across the country.

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