Ben Scurr is stepping up to help the military charity Walking With The Wounded to raise funds for veterans and their families. Could you join him?
An Oxfordshire wellbeing and physical fitness business specialising in outdoor fitness and adventures, led by local man Ben Scurr, is taking part in the Walking Home Campaign this winter to raise funds for veterans and their families.
The initiative aims to raise funds to support WWTW’s vital mental health, employment, and social care services for veterans. Project Active will host walks on 1st December and 1st January and invites anyone in the local community to join them.
Ben says: “My grandparents served in World War Two, and other family members have been in military service over the years, so I’ve always had the utmost respect and gratitude for those who dedicate themselves to something greater than them. I was keen to pursue a career in the military myself, but unfortunately due to an injury that dream was not realised, so I instead embarked on an alternative path, which led me to become an Outdoor Fitness and Neuro-Linguistic Programming coach, and I now operate Project Active. Project Active is all about helping people relaunch and rediscover themselves through both mental and physical approaches, and our mission aligns perfectly with the work of Walking With The Wounded, so signing up to Walking Home felt like a natural step.
“We’re organising two walks that we invite people to join us for, one on the 1st December and one on 1st January, both in Woodstock. We are really proud to be supporting this cause, so we hope to get as many people as possible joining us and donating to Walking With The Wounded.”
The Walking Home campaign was launched by former Army Reservist and presenter of the BBC’s Escape to the Country, Jules Hudson. Jules took part in a sponsored walk at Monmouth Castle where his former regiment, the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers, is stationed. Alongside him were local cadets from Gwent and Powys Army Cadet Force and Monmouth School Combined Cadet Force.
Latest research commissioned by WWTW shows six out of 10 veterans at least sometimes experience feelings of loneliness, a 10% increase on the same statistic for the general public. As daylight hours decrease during winter, it’s common for feelings of loneliness to increase, meaning now is the time to show support for our veterans.
As well as combating loneliness, this year’s motto of Let’s Talk looks to encourage conversations about mental health more widely. The research highlighted outdoor exercise as veterans’ most popular mental health boosting activity, a contrast to the general public which showed socialising with friends and family as its primary mental health booster. Data also showed 90% of veterans agree that the key to improving mental health is spending sufficient time outdoors.
Jules says: “I am immensely proud to be supporting such a worthy fundraising campaign. Veterans are rightly admired for their courage in serving our country yet the mental, physical, and social challenges they face when returning to civilian life can easily be lost on us as the general public.
“By taking part in this year’s Walking Home fundraiser, I hope to inspire as many Brits as possible to follow suit in contributing to the excellent work Walking With The Wounded continues to do for our veterans.”
Tony Hulton, WWTC CEO, added: “The festive season is an ideal time for friends, families, and service members to come together to tackle the winter blues, enjoy the outdoors, and take on a sponsored walk to support those who served. This year’s Walking Home. Let’s Talk campaign encourages everyone to break the silence around mental health and start meaningful conversations. A huge thank you to all who have already signed up for Walking Home. Your support will help transform the lives of veterans and their family members.”
As well as supporting veterans with mental health, physical health, and social support, another key focus is to educate the general public on the often misunderstood struggles veterans’ face post-service. Over half (54%) of the general public feel upholding mental health is the biggest challenge facing veterans when returning to civilian life.
Yet, when asked on whether they feel veterans receive the appropriate level of mental health support, just 21% of the general public agreed, highlighting how this year’s Walking Home fundraising effort is the ideal time to take part in supporting our veterans this winter.
To add to the more than £2 million raised in the past decade of the annual Walking Home fundraisers, 2024’s participants are invited to once again take on a sponsored walk alongside friends, family, or colleagues. There is no minimum distance or fundraising target.
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