Damien Moore MP commemorates the 40th Anniversary of the Falklands War

TO mark the 40th Anniversary of the Falklands War, Southport MP Damien Moore has attended an event in Parliament hosted by the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the Armed Forces and the APPG for the Falkland Islands. The event was attended by veterans of the conflict, Members of both Houses of Parliament, representatives of the Falkland Islands, senior military officers, and Princess Anne, The Princess Royal. The Princess Royal took a salute following the Beating Retreat by the Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines. Major General Julian Thompson, a former Royal Marines officer who commanded 3 Commando Brigade during the conflict, was also in attendance.

Mr. Moore visited the Falkland Islands in 2019 as part of the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme, of which he is a Member. Mr Moore is also a Member of the APPG for the Falklands, and recently attended its AGM. During his time on the Islands he met with soldiers, sailors, and airmen to understand more about the history of the conflict and the presence the UK maintains at RAF Mount Pleasant and around the Islands, in addition to meeting with other residents of the Islands.

An event will be held on Sunday, 19 June 2022, in Southport's Christ Church, on Lord Street, to mark the occasion, with people from across the Southport community attending. This event is organised by the Southport Branch of the Royal British Legion.

Damien Moore, MP for Southport, said:- "This week we marked 40 years since the end of the Falklands War, which took place between April and June 1982, and I pay tribute to all those who served. I visited the Falkland Islands in 2019, and recently gathered in Parliament with colleagues, veterans of the conflict, The Princess Royal, and others to commemorate the Anniversary, something I found very moving. Many residents in our town remember this conflict well, and I know from my work with the armed forces and the veterans community in Southport just how significant a role the Falklands War continues to play in people's lives, and how important it is that we continue to commemorate it."

Merseyside charities celebrate share of £1million fund

4 charities based in Merseyside have received donations of £1,000 each as part of the Benefact Group's Movement for Good Awards. For the 4th year running, the Benefact Group is giving away £1million to charities through its Movement for Good awards. Members of the public were invited to nominate causes close to their hearts, with 250 awards of £1,000 available now for donation. Lansbury Make it Happen, Queenscourt Hospice and Liverpool Astronomical Society are some of the local charities set to benefit from the money, following overwhelming public support in the county. More than 2,500 kind hearted residents have voted for charities across the county so far. In total, more than 104,000 people around the UK supported the Movement for Good awards, with over 7,250 charitable causes up and down the country receiving votes. The 250 winning charities were picked at random from those nominated, with a further 250 winners being selected in September. It's quick and easy to nominate, you can vote for your favourite charity online at:- MovementForGood.Com.

Data gathered from the nominations so far has revealed that 40% of Merseyside residents still intend to donate to charitable causes despite the increase in the cost of living, showing just how generous they are. Additionally, residents are more likely to support a local charity rather than a national or international 1.

Thanking supporters in Merseyside, Mark Hews, Group Chief Executive of Benefact Group, said:- "We would like to thank every single person who took the time to nominate a good cause as part of our Movement for Good Awards. Benefact Group is the fourth largest corporate donor in the UK and has an ambition to be the biggest. Owned by a charity, all of its available profits go to good causes, and the more the group grows, the more the group can give. As a company whose purpose is to contribute to the greater good of society, charitable giving is at the heart of what we do. We know that £1,000 can make a huge difference to the incredible work that charities do and we're looking forward to seeing how this financial boost will change lives for the better."

A further 120 £1,000 grants will be given away in December and £500,000 will also be given in larger grants later this year.  Movement for Good is funded by EIO plc, part of the Benefact Group.

UK researchers pioneer new virtual treatment for PTSD

RESEARCHERS at Cardiff University have pioneered a new form of virtual treatment for people with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In a large scale clinical trial, the research team found guided online therapy sessions for people with mild to moderate PTSD were as effective as face to face treatment. The team say the results, published within the British Medical Journal, mean this form of therapy should now be considered by the NHS as a 1st line treatment for people with the condition.

"Our research has pioneered a new form of treatment for PTSD which could revolutionise NHS treatment of this debilitating condition in future," said Professor Jonathan Bisson from Cardiff University's National Centre for Mental Health.

Sarah, a previous trial participant who is now a researcher and co-author on this study, said it had the potential to help many people. "Guided self help got me back to being me; it gave me my life back after PTSD," she said.

'Long waiting lists for help'

It is estimated about 4% of adults in the UK have PTSD, a common condition that can develop after experiencing traumatic events. Symptoms include re-experiencing the trauma, avoiding reminders and being very on edge, with distress and an impact on daily life which can last many years.

Psychological therapy with a focus on the traumatic event is the treatment of choice but waiting lists can be more than a year and there are a limited number of trained therapists to deliver treatment.

The research team held a large randomised controlled trial of internet based cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) involving 196 adults from across the UK with a diagnosis of mild to moderate PTSD. ½ were given a Cardiff University devised guided web and app based therapy called Spring, involving an 8 step programme with guidance and support from a therapist, while the other ½ had 12 face to face therapy sessions.

Their progress was measured at 16 and 52 weeks, including by severity of symptoms of their PTSD and depression and anxiety, use of alcohol and impact on how they were functioning in daily life. Nineteen participants and 10 therapists were also interviewed in depth about their experiences of the new treatment, as part of the evaluation.

The trial found that more than 80% of people in both groups who were interviewed at 16 weeks no longer had PTSD.

"The RAPID trial to assess the Spring programme found that guided internet based CBT is clinically effective, cheaper, flexible and as effective as face to face treatment. The results should provide more treatment options for people with PTSD and improve their care. The programme was there when I needed it' said Professor Bisson.

Sarah, a 46 year old mum and communications manager from South Wales, said the Cardiff University programme was essential to treating the condition. "My PTSD left me feeling very weird and discombobulated. When I was at home, I wanted to be out and when I was out, I wanted to be at home. I just couldn't settle. I couldn't sleep and felt fretful, anxious and jumpy, and over the course of around three or four months this just got progressively worse. I went to the GP, and they suggested I might have PTSD. At that time, I thought it was more associated with military veterans, but the more we spoke the more I realised that diagnosis felt right. I was put on a very long waiting list to see a counsellor but while I was waiting a mental health nurse rang and she mentioned there was a trial going on at Cardiff University. Within days I was part of the trial, which was assessing a new online guided self-help programme called Spring. It was just absolutely fantastic. I was a mum and had just started a new job so didn't have time to be off work or out of action; but I could dip into the programme at any time when I felt I had the headspace. It felt like it was just there when I needed it most but every week I would also have contact with a therapist so I never felt alone. It wasn't easy and I had to put in the hard yards, but I wanted to my life back. The final step in the programme was to write a very detailed first-person account of my traumatic event and then read it over and over again until I became desensitised. It was as though writing it down just took it out of my head. I just felt so much better in a relatively short space of time. Sarah was public involvement lead on this trial and is a named author on the scientific paper. Her role is to bring a personal perspective on PTSD to the research process and she has also set up a patient group. Awareness of PTSD is growing all the time; and people are realising it can be caused by many different experiences. I also think use of technology in healthcare is more relevant now than ever in a Pandemic. This new research has the potential to help so many people. It's truly amazing,"

The study was conducted between 2017 and 2021 with participants recruited from NHS services in:- England (Coventry, Warwickshire, Greater Manchester, London, and South West Yorkshire), Scotland (Lothian) and Wales (Cardiff, Gwent, Mid Glamorgan, and the Vale of Glamorgan). It was funded by the UK National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme. The NHS costs of the study were funded by the Welsh Government through Health and Care Research Wales. The research team is now working with the NHS to effectively disseminate and implement guided internet based CBT at scale, to maximise its effect.