VETERANS campaigners have revealed post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been ‘rife’ over the last 15 months as people spend countless hours in isolation.

Scott Hawtrey, of Bolton Armed Forces Centre, who served in the Royal Engineers, said the outfit had not able to deal with veterans for months on end, leaving many “alone with their thoughts.”

While he said the situation was getting better, he has wanted to highlight the problems faced by struggling ex-servicemen and women.

Scott said: “More veterans have been coming to us with mental health issues and a lot of it is because they’ve not been able to get outside.

“They have not been able to just come into the centre for a brew, a biscuit and a bit of banter, and sometimes that really does go a long way to helping someone.”

A rise in people reporting mental health problems has been widely covered since the beginning of the pandemic, with countless adults and young people seeking help.

And the series of lockdowns has had a huge impact on veterans, many of whom are battling PTSD and other mental health problems. With restrictions relaxing, the centre has been able to return to a form of normality and aid their regular users.

However Scott has emphasised the struggles that veterans are up against in the face of the pandemic.

He added: “They can be affected by anything from their previous life before serving or something after - it isn’t always during their time in the forces. But the social isolation and not being able to go out and see people has not been good.

“All some of them have had is their feelings - PTSD was rife and while we didn’t have any, we know a lot of centres in the wider veteran community who dealt with a lot of suicides.

“We helped out a lot with furlough in the first lockdown and we found that a lot of people were being housed, but as soon as the lockdown ended, that provision was removed.”

“So many people have been stuck in the same four walls for months with nothing but their thoughts and that has been very hard.”

The centre is currently working on an appointment-only basis, but is still providing services where it can, including furlough support, food bank aid and fundraising activities.

It is aiming to start its ‘armed forces breakfast mornings’ again, while a charity golf day to help raise money for the centre is in the works.