A former RAF Sergeant from Bridgend in the Vale of Glamorgan has spoken about how a photography course he attended through Help for Heroes has helped him deal with health problems resulting from his service….
Taking photos at a Help for Heroes Community Recovery go-karting event in South Wales, Peter Lynes described the support he’s had in overcoming his Hidden Wounds thanks to advice from Community Key Workers directing him to targeted services within the organisation.
Peter served from 1979 until 2002 and has been supported by Help for Heroes since 2016. He has attended two photography courses at Tedworth House.
Peter says: “I’ve always been interested in photography but never had the time to do it properly and I heard about it from the Recovery Centre. The first course was in June, the beginner’s course, which was over a weekend, 3 days and that was followed on by the 4 day advanced course.
“There was 9 on the course so it as quite intimate, we had 3 instructors so that was really good. We went out doing photo sessions in Tedworth House, out in the grounds, a polo match and then we went out to different locations as well. It was very good, very supportive, in fact we have our own little facebook page now for Tedworth photographers.
“It gets me out, gets me out and about into the countryside, taking photos. Just looking at the surroundings, play around with them with Photoshop on the laptop. It’s made my wellbeing a lot better, makes me go out more independently, gives me a purpose.”
Peter’s advice for anyone who’s interested in photography as a means of recovery is: “Just pick up a camera and have a go. Get on the course, they’re brilliant down there, the instructors are really good, they all know the different cameras, they can help you. There were people there that had never turned their cameras on before, they helped them, by the end of it they were taking stunning photos.”
