A NEW project chronicling the impact of war on families is looking for veterans’ loved ones to tell their stories of the daily battles they still face.
Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, The Military Family: A Life of Service will record the personal accounts of partners and family members of former serving personnel to explore how carrying out military duties can not only affect veterans, but also those closest to them.
“We are used to hearing the first-hand testimonies of service personnel and veterans and rightly so,” said Martin Bisiker, trustee of The Legasee Educational Trust, which is launching the project with Help the Heroes Band of Sisters and the Armed Forces Covenant.
“What we’re not so used to hearing about are the personal stories of their partners and families and the huge role they play in the support and recovery effort. We’ve already uncovered some fascinating accounts and would be very interested to hear from others.”
The final interviews will sit on a video archive and provide a valuable educational resource for those researching the impact of war on families and the role they play in the recovery process. High-quality copies of the films will be held by the Royal Armoury Museum in Leeds, while an exhibition interpreting the history will be created and will tour venues in North Yorkshire, ending in a permanent exhibition at Catterick Library.
The filming team has already visited the Help for Heroes Recovery Centre, Phoenix House in Catterick Garrison in Yorkshire, to hear the experiences of some members of the Band of Sisters – a peer support network of wives, husbands and partners, parents and children of soldiers and veterans.
To tell your story, contact info@legasee.org.uk