The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Veterans band together to unleash Creative Force
Injured former service personnel and their families to showcase their work at Lochgelly Centre
Injured veterans will unleash their Creative Force in Fife this month.
Around 30 injured veterans, service personnel and their families from across Scotland will have their work showcased at the Lochgelly Centre.
Organised by Help for Heroes, all the exhibitors are members of the charity’s peer support networks, Band of Brothers and Band of Sisters.
The networks’ co-ordinator for Scotland, Gerry McGregor, put together the exhibition, which runs from August 31 to September 14.
Gerry, who lives in Auchtermuchty, said: “Those who have served our country and their families experience struggles that some of us will never understand.
“Recovery from physical or psychological injury takes time and there is no one-size-fits-all approach.
“Some may benefit from a physical programme, such as sports recovery, while others find creativity eases the daily struggle of living with pain, depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder.”
Among the exhibitors is Julie Martin-Davy, 40, from Glenrothes, whose husband Mark was injured in 2009 on a training exercise while serving with the Royal Signals.
Mark suffered lower spinal damage which has resulted in him being in constant pain and needing to use a wheelchair, which has also impacted on his mental health.
Julie, who works part-time as a retail supervisor, is Mark’s carer when she isn’t working, and art is her only respite.
She studied graphic design at Fife College.
“I did dabble in art over the years but, once Mark was injured, I didn’t have time,” she said.
“However, the training I had at college has stayed with me and I still have an eye for things.”
Kirkcaldy veteran Ken de Soyza is displaying his photography.
Ken, who served 22 years in the RAF, was hit by a car in 2016 while cycle training for trials for the 2017 Invictus Games.
Having suffered serious injuries, he took up photography.
“My camera gets me out more often and further afield because I have a reason to go out and I enjoy the results,” he said.
“I love the challenge of taking photographs of wildlife and insects.”