The Foundation's support was "a complete lifeline": 2025 Impact Report

For our 2025 Impact Report we offered our participants the opportunity to tell you the impact the Foundation's support has had on them.

Meet Phil Ashworth, a 75-year-old Veteran who has been receiving support from the Foundation for over two and a half years.

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Watch Phil tell his story here!

The Foundation is extremely proud of the support we offer to current and ex-servicemen through our Armed Forces programme. Lee Geraghty, our Armed Forces Co-ordinator, has been here for eight years and has developed the programme into what it is today.

Phil agreed to open up and explain the impact the Foundation has had on him because he hopes other people out there will see his story and understand that it is okay to acknowledge that you need help.

Phil explained that the Foundation "was a lifeline. A complete lifeline. I became quite ill and ended up in hospital twice. When you have a breakdown a mental breakdown and you end up in hospital, you are at your lowest point. So, you need help.

"I was in a shell when I was in hospital, a complete shell. I came out lonely."

As a Veteran himself, Lee understands the impact leaving the forces can have on someone and their day-to-day life. Phil is just one of 31 Veterans that Lee sees on a regular one-to-one basis.

Lee highlighted the difference between Phil when he first joined the Foundation in comparison to the Phil today: "He's come on really well, he's gained a lot more confidence, he's coming out of his house more and attending our groups. Whereas, when I first met him he was a bit isolated, he wouldn't want to come out, he was happy for me to just come round and have a chat with him.

"With the breakfast clubs and the walk and talk, he's attending them now and I've seen a big improvement with his confidence. He's making new friends as well from all areas of the Armed Forces."

Our Armed Forces group meet up once a week in various different locations for different groups. We run two breakfast clubs, one at Toby Carvery Slaters Wharf and one at Aroma Cafe at Mill Farm Sports Village, a Walk and Talk group at Fairhaven Lake and a NAAFI break also at Salters Wharf in Lytham.

Lee spoke about the purpose of the groups: "It gets them together, it gets the brotherhood and the camaraderie going. They can turn up and have a laugh, and we can take the mick out of each other because it's that brotherhood that we had in the forces."

Phil explained why the groups are so important to him and the others: "When you meet up with the Veterans, you feel at ease so much, you can talk about anything, you don't have to go in depth about what your problems are, you can talk about anything else.

"When you go to the meetings you come out thinking, 'God, I'm worth something' - we're a good laugh."

"Lee, has been a godsend to me, he comes up once every month and we have a cup of tea and biscuits - we talk about normal things, football, but he's there, Lee.

"It's vital for me that he comes every

month; if he didn't come I'd be down in the dumps."

After Lee heard Phil's comments about him, he said: "It means a lot, actually. I personally wouldn't say that I'm a lifesaver, it's my job. I'll take the compliment."

Phil ended his story by emphasising "It's really really special, it's special for me. I'm 75 now, and I'm okay."

No matter what age or how long you were in the Forces for, the Foundation is here to offer a helping hand. Join Phil in attending our groups and see the difference it can make first hand.