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Charity registration number: 1195307
Objects
The object of the charity is for the public benefit to relieve charitable need and distress of persons who are serving or who served as members of the armed forces and their families and dependants, in particular those experiencing poor mental health, including by reason of bereavement, in particular but not exclusively by provision of information, advice and support and by establishment and maintenance of a memorial to those who have died by suicide after having served as members of the armed forces.
Activities
The charity plans to offer an informal reactive mentoring service which will, in effect, be a ‘coffee and a chat’ offering.
The charity will be clear with beneficiaries of such mentoring that mentors are not offering a professional service and are a listening and conversational exchange in relation to the pressures veterans face outside of service.
Much of the benefit of the mentoring system is to provide a sense of comradeship that is lost when moving from active service to civilian life and provide someone to talk to.
Mentors will signpost to specialist and crisis services where appropriate.
Trustees
Edward Mackenzie - Chair
Edward Mackenzie has almost 30 years in the British army, 24 years in The Highlanders and is now a Reservist teaching recruits at the Army Training Unit, Strensall. He has been on 14 Operational tours and has had a varied career across many countries and experiences. He is also an army ski instructor. He set up the Elysium Memorial Foundation after losing another fellow Veteran to suicide, last year. He has lost 20 friends that he served with. He would like all Veterans from all three of the Armed Services, that have taken their own lives, to be remembered on a memorial at the National memorial arboretum. The Elysium Memorial.
Steven Nicol - Trustee
Cpl Steven Nicol has served in 4 Scots, The Highlanders since 2009 and has deployed on several operational tours. He has lost many friends both serving and veteran to suicide and set up Elysium memorial foundation with Ed Mackenzie in October 2020. Like all foundation contributors he is desperate to see the erection of a memorial to the memory of the veterans who have succumb to suicide and to provide a place of reflection for friends and family of veteran victims of suicide.
David McColl - Trustee
David McColl has served 29 years in the British Army. Serving 7 years in 1st Bn The Queens Own Highlanders and 2 years with 1st Bn The Highlanders, transferring into the Army Physical Training Corps (APTC) in 1996 serving until 2010. He has also served6 years as an Army Reservist, as an RAPTC instructor. He has lost many friends both serving and veteran to suicide and is passionate about dedicating his time and effort in contributing towards the erection of a memorial to the memory of those veterans lost to suicide after they have finished their service for their country.