'Leaving the forces can be daunting and confusing'

"Navigating the simple things like bills or car insurance can be daunting after years of having everything done for you."

Mick Stevens speaks for many veterans who have sought guidance through the tricky process of reintegrating into civilian life after leaving the forces.

He is now one of the helpers at Veterans Regroup, which runs events for veterans all over Cornwall and is opening a dedicated shop in Truro in the autumn.

"In the services, you live together and when you come out you suddenly become disengaged and that can be very confusing," explained Stevens.

Stevens spent more than 30 years in the navy before making the return to civilian life.

"The first half of my service was on the high seas and then I spent a long time in Northern Ireland," he explained.

"The transition from military life to civilian life can be quite daunting. If you're married the non-serving person deals with everything like insurance and council tax.

"I was a senior non-commissioned officer for 25 of my years in the navy so I was used to being in charge, and then I found out that my was actually in charge."

The help available at Veterans Regroup includes advice on debt, employment, education training and housing.

Veterans can also get assistance to book dental appointments, claiming benefits and other essentials that were previously arranged for them.

Eleven organisations, such as the DWP and South West Water, are on hand to offer help and advice, the organisation said.

Petty officer Richie Ward is a firefighter at RNAS Culdrose who volunteers with Veterans Regroup.

He said: "I like to give something back and of course one day I'll be a veteran and I'll be walking through those doors."

"Some people can get institutionalised in the forces, they join as young as 16 and that's the only thing they know for work and it's hard to adapt to outside life.

"One of the hardest things is navigating life admin, like bills and medical appointments and here you can learn the skills to cope."

Jane Jiwa is the founder and managing director of Veterans Regroup.

"We run eight multi agency armed forces hubs across Cornwall and we're also launching a new hub in Truro in the autumn," she said.

"Often veterans come to us with multiple and complex needs and there's no single organisation that can help so we come together in a joined up way.

"Veterans and those still serving are welcome to come along, it could be something complex like dealing with mental health issues or it could be just a coffee and a chat with like minded people."

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