Launch of our Bring Them Home campaign

This week we launched our new campaign to reveal the devastating isolation experienced by veterans with military-related trauma.

We collaborated with Channel 4’s in-house creative agency 4creative to create the film Bring Them Home, which shows how mental health problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can leave former servicemen and women withdrawn and isolated from family, friends and their community.

The film features a group of real-life veterans who have served in conflicts including Northern Ireland, Gulf War, Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan.

After leaving the Armed Forces, veterans may physically be ‘at home’ but psychologically can be trapped in the past, reliving their trauma on the battlefield through flashbacks, nightmares and constant anxiety. We bring veterans all the way home by providing specialist support and treatment to enable them to overcome their mental health issues.

Sue Freeth, Chief Executive of Combat Stress, said:

“We see the impact of trauma every day in our treatment centres across the UK. Veterans tell us how they struggle to leave the battlefield behind, making it impossible for them to adjust to life back home. Through this film, we aim to raise awareness of the role the public can play in helping us to bring veterans home, all the way home.

“We are enormously grateful to the generosity of the team at 4creative for making this film for us free of charge. It’s been a rewarding experience working with them and we’re extremely proud of the result.”

A team from 4creative created the film for free. Working with a freelance crew and staff from post-production houses, the team donated their time and resources to make the film.

Jack Croft and Stacey Bird from 4creative said:

“For this campaign we wanted to focus on Combat Stress’ role in treating veterans who suffer with the effects of war after they return. There is something terrifying about the idea that you can suffer flashbacks to what is very likely one of the worst moments of your life. That’s why we chose to focus on this symptom to bring the effects of PTSD to life for viewers.

“We felt incredibly grateful to create this campaign for Combat Stress and have been completely astonished by the generosity of people in the industry who worked for free to help make work for such a great cause.”

To find out more about the film visit www.combatstress.org.uk/battlefield.