seAp Advocacy were delighted to welcome former Army officer Johnny Mercer MP to their Military Advocacy Service in Plymouth where he met with staff to hear about the project and the issues veterans and their families are facing…
The Military Advocacy Service (mAs) operates in Plymouth, Oxford & Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Essex and Wiltshire. The service’s staff, many of whom have military experience themselves, walk alongside veterans, helping them navigate support systems, deal with practical problems and explore their future options, all the while building their confidence and knowledge.
The MP was particularly interested in the research on the impact of mAs, which is being funded through the Forces in Mind Trust, and is looking not only at its direct impact on veterans, but also the potential for saving money within the wider health and social care services through earlier intervention.
Johnny Mercer said: “It’s been great to read about and see the work done by the service. Services like mAs can make all the difference to veterans in the transition to civilian life and beyond. The staff and volunteers help people deal with some very complex and difficult situations, and can transform lives.”
Debbie Westlake, the mAs service manager based in Plymouth, said: “We were delighted to welcome Johnny to mAs, and to talk to him about our work. We’re grateful for his interest and his preparedness to talk with us about how we might secure the future of our service, and ultimately extend this type of support to all military veterans and their families across the UK”.
