Straight To The Art Of It
Andrea Bartlett was medically discharged from the Royal Army Medical Corps after 12 years of service, having gradually developed a degenerative optic nerve disease that runs in her family.
“It can be difficult for me to focus and my reaction time is very much slower than the average person,” explains Andrea. “I had to give my driving licence back and I wasn’t allowed to go on tour with the Army any more. I was medically discharged in 2011.
“In the military, you feel quite stable because you always have a roof over your head and there’s a good support network. It’s very different in the civilian world and it was a challenge when I got out.”
After Andrea contacted The Poppy Factory in 2012, the charity supported her in securing a job as a school classroom instructor in London. When Andrea’s husband Ian was medically discharged from the Royal
Logistics Corps, the couple moved to the East Midlands.
“Ian also had support from The Poppy Factory, who helped him shape his CV and made sure he was going down the right route to become a secondary school teacher.
“Then we had our son, and I became a stay-at-home mum. I started drawing and painting again and last August, I started my own art
“Life is very different in the civilian world”
business, Bart & Eddie Design Studio. It’s going really well and I’m pursuing my goal of becoming a professional wildlife artist.
“Keiron at The Poppy Factory was really helpful, encouraging me to take my time and do things step by step. He visited me several times to discuss possible opportunities and he sent over lots of information about all the things I needed to do to set up. He was also continually on the other end of the phone or an email offering support, and he still is.
“I often tell veterans to take a look at The Poppy Factory. If you have an injury or there’s something difficult that you’re going through and you want to get back into work, The Poppy Factory can really help.”