A former mine clearance diving officer from Hastings has praised Duncan Bannatyne’s offer of free membership at his health clubs for veterans living with PTSD and highlighted the role fitness plays in battling mental health issues.
46-year-old Graeme Gibbon-Brooks, who joined the Hastings health club, served in the Royal Navy for 16 years before he was medically discharged due to a renal condition in 2007. On leaving the Royal Navy he started Dryad Maritime – a business that provided anti-piracy and counter terrorist forecasts to ship Captains. The business grew to £2.5M turn over employing 50 ex-navy veterans. In this time it became apparent that he was he was suffering from PTSD and in 2017 this came to a head when he was no longer able to work and sought help.
The incident that caused the PTSD occurred when Graeme was second in command of a Mine Hunting Ship and due to a miscommunication, the ship’s crew were placed in mortal danger. Aware of the threat, Graeme was unable to prevent the incident from happening which led to the illness.
The illness, which sufferers experience as constantly being on guard, requires medication, talking therapy to address the cause of the symptoms and self-care, using relaxation techniques and exercise. Physical exercise has been shown to be particularly effective for ex-military veterans which is why Graeme believes membership of Bannatyne health clubs is so important.
Today, Graeme is turning his hardship into a positive and has produced a YouTube video* to offer his help and support to other people suffering with PTSD.
Graeme said: “Just as I was given a veteran’s place at Bannatyne’s, I was offered a chance to do some occupational therapy, which was six months of hard physical labour outside in the fresh air in Somerset. Now that’s over I plan to focus on my physical health by continuing my hard work at the gym and posting more videos of my progress to encourage other sufferers to get exercising.
“If I met Duncan Bannatyne, I would simply thank him for this amazing scheme. This is the best practical support you could ever give a veteran with PTSD. I am so incredibly grateful.”
Duncan Bannatyne gave his backing to the Sunday People’s Save Our Soldiers campaign and offered hundreds of free memberships for veterans with PTSD, with every one of his 72 health clubs taking part.
Duncan, 70, told the Sunday People: “I truly believe our armed forces are the best in the world. I think they do an amazing job and the bravery that comes with doing the job they do is outstanding.
“If I can help in a small way such as giving a free membership to help combat PTSD, then I am more than happy to do that. It is something that is very dear to me.”
Duncan’s dad William endured three-and-a-half years in a Japanese prisoner of war camp in the Second World War and was starving to death before liberation in 1945.
William, an infantryman in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, had been captured while fighting Japan’s invasion of Malaya and Singapore in 1942.
Duncan said: “My father was somebody who did not really talk about his time as PoW. However, over the years I did get bits out of him and when I hear what he endured it makes me so proud to have seen how brave he was.”
Duncan’s military background is one of the reasons he feels strongly about the plight of troops with PTSD.
* https://youtu.be/wBzYL7dScGM