Valley Veterans Chief Executive Paul Bromwell has been honoured at the inaugural Aneurin Bevan People’s NHS Awards.
Mr Bromwell, who lives in Rhondda, has been presented with the Aneurin Bevan Community Care Award, in recognition of his work in Rhondda Cynon Taf, supporting the Armed Forces community.
A former Welsh Guardsman and Falkland Islands campaigner, Mr Bromwell remains passionate about support for the Armed Forces personnel, past and present, and their families.
Councillor Maureen Webber, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council Deputy Leader and Armed Forces Champion, said: “On behalf of the Council and our proud Armed Forces community, I send my congratulations to Paul on this wonderful award in recognition of all the amazing work he does to support our Armed Forced community.
“We owe so much to our Armed Forces, past and present, and we will never forget the sacrifices they have made and continue to make.”
Rhondda Cynon Taf Council was one of the first local authorities in Wales to sign up to the Armed Forces Covenant in 2012. On June 2, 2018, the local authority also granted the Freedom of the County Borough to MOD St Athan, and all local service personnel of the Royal Air Force, past and present.
Support for our Armed Forces
Mr Bromwell founded the Valley Veterans, having been a long-tern sufferer of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) following his time in the Armed Forces, and now works closely with Rhondda Cynon Taf Council.
Valley Veterans is a veteran-led organisation, supported by the Council and based in Rhondda Cynon Taf. It was founded over 10 years ago as an informal support group for PTSD sufferers. It is now a vibrant community hub with more than 140 active participants.
Mr Bromwell’s late diagnosis over 20 years ago gave him an insight to identify the acute need for a community-based hub for fellow sufferers to gather to exchange information and connect to the growing but confusing network of organisations and support services.
He has also given a presentation to NHS Boards across Wales, attended by all levels of staff, from healthcare workers to consultants, to explain the conditions of PTSD and its effects, and how to recognise if someone is presenting with PTSD. He has also campaigned for “quiet rooms” in hospitals, particularly in A&E and Outpatient Departments for veterans suffering with PTSD, to reduce their levels of anxiety in crowded, busy environments.
Among the activities of the Valley Veterans Group, Welsh Government restrictions permitting, is the successful gardening group and the Breakfast Club, where like-minded people can get together to share their experiences and passions and get the help they need.
Valley Veterans founder, Paul Bromwell, said: “I am both honoured and delighted to receive the inaugural Aneurin Bevan Award for Care, named after the man who founded our National Health Service to which we all owe so much, particularly through the pandemic.
“I set up the Valley Veterans group to get help for the people that needed it, those people who put their lives on the line in the defence of our country. It was clear to me that these people, many who live in our own locality and communities, needed our help and support.”
The inaugural Aneurin Bevan People’s NHS Awards were held to recognise and celebrate the work of all those unsung heroes who have a huge impact on communities across Wales.
For further information about Valley Veterans, contact the group via email at enquiries@valleyveterans.org or by calling 07733 896 128
Posted on 16/07/2021