Our Impact
At Forward Assist, your support transforms lives; fostering resilience, community belonging, and renewed purpose among our Armed Forces veterans.
Metrics that Speak
Over the past 16 years during our incarnation as both About Turn CIC and as registered charity Forward Assist we have been awarded multiple awards and more importantly, supported over five thousand veterans and their family members. Over the years we have employed over twenty staff in a variety of full and part time roles, and all backed up by an army of veteran and corporate volunteers. Our interventions for service men and women has focused on mental health, resilence, transition, assimilation, post traumatic growth and community connection. Our lived experience research projects and consultations have led to innovative reports that have helped change policy and awareness of the experiences of successful service leavers, Veterans involved with the Criminal Justice System, Substance Use Disorders, Military Sexual Trauma survivors, BAME Veterans, LGBTQ+ veterans and their families and male survivors of in service initiation based trauma. The charity earned the Queens Award for Voluntary Service in 2020 and the former CEO Tony Wright was awarded the 2024 Soldiering on Awards, Life Time Achievement Award for the charities work supporting disenfranchised and marginalised veterans. His leadership centred on strategy, governance, partnership collaboration and both practice based and evidence based practice.
Post Traumatic Growth
We have also funded and facilitated travel and accommodation for twelve UK veterans to vist the Boulder Crest Foundation in Virginia and Arizona USA. Everyone who has visited or taken part in the Warrior PATHH or Struggle Well Programme believe their lives have been transformed and enriched sparking profound Post Traumatic Growth and Healing (Forward Assist).
“Attending Boulder Crest Foundation was a turning point in my recovery. The course was like no other treatment course or therapy modality I had experienced in 7 years of battling with my injuries. Before attending I really felt I was struggling to survive psychologically. The course facilitated a profound shift in perspective that allowed me to see myself not as someone who was trying to survive their injuries and illnesses, but as someone who could gain deep insight and meaning from personal struggles and that was on a journey of growth and self discovery.”
“Forward Assist helped me rediscover my strengths, reminding me I still serve, even now as a civilian,”
Making a Difference
Your generosity equips us to simplify the noise of “civvy street,” ensuring veterans and their families receive tailored, high-quality support.
“Forward assist was incredibly supportive during my illnesses and I was always treated with dignity and respect. I was invited to take part in many interesting and exciting activities that reduced my sense of isolation and allowed me to tap into skills and abilities that gave me a sense of joy and adventure that I had lost after leaving service, and I also felt a sense of community engaging in joint activities that promoted my wellbeing. The staff went over and above to give me access to incredible life changing experiences and I'm not sure where I would be now without Forward Assist.”
Through your continued commitment, veterans regain autonomy, voice and dignity reframed not by deficits, but by their immeasurable strengths and futures.
