Volunteer veteran inspires others
FUSILIER Andy Greaves struggled after first leaving the army four years, but has turned his life around thanks to support from a veterans’ charity.
He left the 1st Battalion in 2014 with anxiety, depression and symptoms of PTSD, but these went undiagnosed for nearly a year, compounded by his autism.
Andy, from Baxenden, said: “I was in a very dark place at times and I was suicidal.
“In the Infantry I wasn’t aware of my problems, it was only when I left that they became obvious.
“Everything in my life fell apart.”
Andy, who was 20 when he joined up and went on to serve in Afghanistan, joined Veterans In Communities in Haslingden and began volunteering on a number of projects, some of which were funded by a grant from the ABF: The Soldiers’ Charity.
His story is now being used as a case study and a team from the charity’s London base came out to interview and photograph Andy at work at the Veterans In Communities allotment in Helmshore.
Andy, 28, who has completed a foundation course in horticulture, says he may become a gardener in the future. EAST Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust has achieved its best ever results in the annual NHS National Staff Survey.
More than 3,300 staff filled in the survey.
Ninety-two per cent said they benefitted from their annual work performance appraisal with 80 per cent believing patient care is the top priority.
The Trust also rated highly for having ‘motivated and engaged’. Chief executive Kevin McGee said: “I am delighted with the results.”