'Amazing' support for Royal Navy firefighter team as they finish intense walk for veterans with PTSD

Firefighter training personnel and veterans trekked from Farlington Marshes to Hayling Island Eastoke and back - raising thousands of pounds for the mental health charity Combat Stress. Members of HMS Phoenix, the firefighter training unit based on Whale Island in Portsmouth, rallied together in support of the cause on Saturday (March 21).

Former Army Bombardier Brent Vine, who served in the Royal Artillery for nine years, was delighted that the team were able to raise more than £3,500 following the ten mile hike. “I thought I would just raise a few pennies, so I put the word out and it went ballistic,” he told The News. “The naval aspect meant everyone wanted to support it.

“I told the lads and ladies what I was doing, and then everyone was on board. The support has been fantastic. Originally, the bar was set at £1,500, but I kept having to raise it. It was amazing. People were donating left, right, and centre. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. It has been overwhelming.”

After leaving the forces, Mr Vine now gears up the next generation of Royal Navy sailors as a safety officer. HMS Phoenix is an integral part of that training. “We have simulators, lockups, and different compartments which the sailors have to go in,” he added. “We run various courses to teach people how to find and extinguish the fires, in different scenarios and drills. I make sure all the units are safe and watch all the courses. It’s a great team and I love it.

“If you’re a fire brigade, you can get away with throwing lots of water on. With ship-based firefighting, the job is to put the fire out with the least amount of water. They have to bear that in mind that what they’re doing might cause an issue with stability.”

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Combat Stress delivers specialised treatment to former military personnel with severe mental health conditions. They offer free services including psychiatric and psychological treatment; substance misuse management; art therapy; occupational therapy; peer support; family support; online self-help materials and a 24-hour helpline.

Mr Vine said he’s known veterans who’ve suffered badly with PTSD and believed it was a brilliant cause to support. “It’s debilitating for some people,” he added. It completely changes their lives. We all know stories of people being out on the streets who came out of the services. When you leave, you leave a large group of like-minded people, almost like a family.

“It’s not just service people, we can all suffer from mental health problems. You can see people smiling and being cheerful at work, but you never know what’s going on in their lives. It’s an unseen injury. The march will breakdown some of the stigma around it.”

Donations can be made to Combat Stress online via its website.