HELP for Heroes has provided £29,000 to pay for a specialist welfare officer at the armed forces recovery centre Tedworth House.

The Downton-based charity has now given £75,000 to the Defence Medical Welfare Service (DMWS), and this latest grant will pay for an officer to continue accompanying residents to their outside clinical or medical appointments and reporting back to the team at Tedworth on any welfare needs that may arise.

The officer is also responsible for the day-to-day welfare of all of the residents at Tedworth House Recovery Centre and of their visitors.

Centre manager Giles Woodhouse said: “We are enormously grateful for the services of the DMWS, especially with the way that they facilitate that round-the-clock continuity.

“DMWS have the respect of the staff and the personnel at the recovery centre and they are an intrinsic part of our safeguarding net.

“Help for Heroes are thrilled to be able to support the continuation of this key welfare role for another year of invaluable service.

“ Band of Sisters member Rachel Elkins also spoke firsthand of the invaluable support provided by the DMWS Welfare Officer.

“They are a true godsend,” she said. “When my family needed someone to talk to or help us with certain appointments, they were there and that is so important.

“Knowing you have someone you can turn to and trust 100 per cent is vital to recovery and coping with your situation.

“My husband was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder and I am not sure we could have coped without our welfare officer, she has been so crucial to us as a family.”