My name is Dave Wilson –formally 2nd Bn Scots Guards, I am a serving Prison Officer at HMP Isle of Wight (Parkhurst)

We at Parkhurst have set up a group called VIPA (Veterans in Prison Association) this association has been set up to support our Veterans who have for one reason or another found themselves in prison, the association is currently being run on a voluntary basis by ex forces staff to help offer support & guidance.

We have contact with agencies such as Veterans Welfare, SPVA,RBL, Combat Stress to help with ongoing & underlying issues.

We at HMPS Isle of Wight would like to keep all Veterans in touch with their Regimental Associations during their sentence & on release.

We have rooms allocated for group meetings for the Veterans were they can meet & talk through their problems & if deemed appropriate put them in contact with specialist agencies to help with ongoing mental health problems.

Would you be so kind as to donate a Regimental Placard for our VIPA /Veterans room & any other information regarding your regiment & or associations.

If you wish to look at our web site and on Facebook (Google) Veterans in Prison Association, this will help to explain what we are hoping to achieve.

We also have a website www.veteransinprison.org.uk

Lord David Ramsbotham is the Honorary President of VIPA
Simon Weston OBE is the Patron of VIPA

Additional information

There is no definitive amounts of veterans serving custodial sentences but the estimation is in the thousands, there is also a suggestion that a high percentage of veterans’ currently doing sentences do not wish to make it known that they are veterans.

The majority of crimes being committed by veterans are mainly alcohol & drug related violent offences.

It has been suggested that there is a far greater number of veterans than first anticipated serving sentences in England & Wales, the numbers mentioned are as much as 24000 currently serving custodial sentences or under supervision from the Probation Service or on community penalties

It has also been mentioned that a large proportion of veterans maybe or are suffering from PTSD or other mental health problems, this has been put down to experiences & Combat trauma witnessed on active service & more the demanding theatres of war.

It has been approximated that the prison population, Supervision orders & community penalties could double or triple within the next 5 to 15 years, this has been put down to the theatres of war that have recently been taking place in likes of Afghanistan & Iraq.

I have a VIPA member that is at another prison who wishes to be reconnected to his Regimental Association, if he is indeed one of your Regimental family I will be happy to forward his prison details to you.



You can contact me on the details below or by email.

PO Box 209
Veterans in Prison Association
Newport
PO30 9EE

www.Chief.executive&veteransinprison.org.uk

www.david.wilson08@hmps.gsi.gov.uk



On a serious not I wonder if you can help me with the relevant guidance & information, I have a member of staff at Parkhurst Prison that is former member of 29 Commando & 47 Field Regiment that was diagnosed with PTSD & has attended Combat Stress.

He did a tour of Afghanistan and over a period of time,we became aware of changes in his demeanour & personality to the point of concern, he is a great bloke & a bloke I would really like to help if atoll possible, I automatically thought of you.

He is currently under Veterans Welfare, he was asked if he could think of something he could do to occupy his mind, he came up with Information Technology so that he could learn how to do web design, Elcas I believe have identified a course costing £1900 and donated £1000 towards it, he now needs a further £900 to participate in this course, do you know of any contacts or areas were he could access the remaining funds, it would be wonderful if Oliver could get the support that he has long needed, his details are as follows.

25078368 Gunner Oliver Janurin
Enlisted 1999
Discharged 2004

With kindest regards

Dave Wilson