Serving military personnel receiving specialist mental health care in Stafford are benefiting from new exercise equipment following a donation from Staffordshire Freemasons.
The equipment has been provided to Brocton ward at St George’s Hospital, where Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust provides specialist inpatient psychiatric care for Armed Forces personnel.
The donation has funded a range of equipment including a sled pull, battle ropes, kettlebells, a sandbag, wall balls and gym tyres.
A storage container has also been provided for the equipment.
Clothing and self-care items also provided
Part of the funding has also been used to purchase tracksuits and other clothing for patients.
Self-care bags containing toiletries and other essentials have been provided for people who arrive on the ward without personal belongings.
The funding was secured by Reg Sargeant, Armed Forces Covenant Representative for the Province of Staffordshire Freemasons.
Mr Sargeant is also a veteran who served for 25 years with the Grenadier Guards.
He said supporting the mental health of the Armed Forces community was particularly important to him because of his own military background and experience.
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Supporting physical and mental health
Occupational Therapist Mandy Addison worked with Mr Sargeant to secure the equipment for the ward.
She said: “We were really grateful to have received the funding from Staffordshire Freemasons, which has gone towards items that will make a positive difference to serving military personnel on the ward.”
She added that physical fitness is an important part of life in the Armed Forces and also has links with mental health.
Brocton ward forms part of specialist services provided by MPFT for serving military personnel.
The Trust also leads the NHS Joining Forces Network, which brings together seven NHS mental health trusts across the UK to provide specialist inpatient care and psychological therapies for serving Armed Forces personnel.
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