FirstLight Trust

FirstLight Trust's mission is to rehabilitate those leaving and those who have left the Armed Forces and Emergency Services back into their communities, whatever that looks like for each individual. FirstLight Trust's key motivation for helping members of the military and emergency service community is the lack of grass roots support readily available to those who are frequently considered by other charitable organisations to be beyond available resources, who have 'fallen through the net' of charitable support. These individuals may have been discharged prior to their diagnosed needs having been met, or before the full depth of (complex) need has been identified; after leavi... read more FirstLight Trust's mission is to rehabilitate those leaving and those who have left the Armed Forces and Emergency Services back into their communities, whatever that looks like for each individual. FirstLight Trust's key motivation for helping members of the military and emergency service community is the lack of grass roots support readily available to those who are frequently considered by other charitable organisations to be beyond available resources, who have 'fallen through the net' of charitable support. These individuals may have been discharged prior to their diagnosed needs having been met, or before the full depth of (complex) need has been identified; after leaving they have often spiralled down through debt, addictions, may be unemployed or are often deemed 'unemployable'. FirstLight Trust has and continues to fine-tune the delivery of such support and services to those who have 'fallen through the net' whilst increasingly, as each hub beds into its community, supporting those who have not yet reached these stages. This motivation to 'do something' practical imbues the charity; veteran's needs (not neediness) lie at the heart of all that it does. FirstLight is a solutions-based charity; when problems present through the door (and every member of the charity works at the cliff face dealing with veterans in need) the charity aims to find solutions. Hence its increasing focus on the problems caused by isolation and mental health. Doing nothing or 'handing off' problems is not a solution that FirstLight is comfortable with nor does it answer the problems or needs; and every attempted suicide in a community highlights the ever-growing need for practical, community-based solutions.