News

Firstly, a huge thanks to Café Laziz for the outstanding food they provided, made so lovingly by their wonderful team of volunteers. This was not only delicious, but also held a great significance and place close to Andy’s heart, representing the countries he has served in from his time in the Armed Forces.

Secondly, thanks to all the support from St Helens Borough Council including the Mayor and Head of the Council Anthony Burns for their attendance.

Finally a massive thanks to all our Foundation partners, family, friends and fellow veterans who took time out of their busy schedules to help and support on what was truly a momentous occasion:

Menzies Distribution, Morson Talent, Money and Me Solicitors, TVS Supply Chain Solutions, Halton & St Helens Voluntary and Community Action, RFCA for the North West of England & the Isle of Man, Bates Office, National Pawnbrokers Association, Hatton Garden Metals, VTA Recruitment, Health Med, Urenco, Carma, RS Integrated Supply, Turner & Townsend, The Cerco C2C Academy, Willowbrook Hospice.

It was a truly fantastic occasion and we thank each and everyone of you that attended.

Congratulations Andy, so very well deserved!

Here are some highlights from the day:

                              

The programme seeks to reduce social isolation, improve social skills, encourage peer engagement and confidence building, and create sustainable links between individuals and their communities.

You can find out more about the awards and the full list of categories and finalists HERE.

The morning started with a fantastic service to commemorate the 80th Anniversary. There were members from our Ex-Services group in attendance as well as the Mayor, local Councillors, residents and veterans from Rainford.

The afternoon was such fun at a tea dance which saw over 70 people celebrating VE Day at Rainford Village Hall. This included a wonderful selection of homemade tea and cakes, music and of course dancing. Traditional fish and chips in paper cones were served, and children from the local primary schools came and read poetry about the war. This concluded with a rendition of “We’ll meet again” by Vera Lynn, bringing everyone together across the generations, a truly heart warming moment!

Finally, a raflle was drawn – all proceeds raised went to the Foundation by way of a donation.

Thanks so much to everyone who came and supported by buying event tickets and raffle tickets.

Massive thanks to Rainford Parish Council for organising the event and making sure it ran so smoothly.

Lastly, a ginormous thanks to TVS Supply Chain Solutions who were fantastic volunteers on the day and very kindly donated £500 to the Foundation to allow us to continue providing the support services we do.

Here are some of the best bits of the day!

 

The event held at The Mecure Hotel saw 30 amazing organisations battle it out and pitch their ideas of how the funding would be spent to help build community resilience in St Helens.

We are going to use the money to deliver interactive first aid awareness sessions for teenagers in St Helens, aiming at Years 7-11. The focus being on what to do if you have been stabbed, slashed, shot or burnt with fire or corrosive substances and how to administer CPR.

For the older years 10 and 11 there will be additional sessions about addiction, addressing the growing concerns and issues with Ketamine, dangers of substance abuse and the health consequences.It will also focus on the impact addiction can have on people’s lives and their families.  Our recovery coach will talk about the importance of goal setting and utilise his lived experience of coming through the other side to live a positive and fulfilling life in recovery. 

Our First Aid Awareness sessions are specifically aimed to help victims of knife crime or fire. Not only will they help to educate teenagers on how to respond in certain situations, but also make them aware of the dangers of knife crime and arson.

Our addiction talks will be used to highlight the dangers of substance misuse, but also how they can lead to addiction. Substance abuse and crime are closely intertwined. Historical data has shown that people who engage in substance abuse are more likely to commit crimes.

These sessions have the potential to help attendees and the wider community, given patterns of arson/knife crime.

Thanks to all the organisers, everyone who supported and voted for us, and massive congratulations to all the other winners and participants on the night!

He has done it! Veteran David Galloway has completed the awe-inspiring and legendary Marathon Des Sables – the world’s toughest foot race!

David has done this incredible challenge in aid of the Standing Tall Foundation and we are so proud and grateful to have the support of someone so extraordinary, what an amazing achievement!

David ran the 6 stage, 250km race across the Moroccan Sahara Desert, carrying 25lb of equipment in one of the hottest places on earth.

He spent  9 days in the desert, sleeping on the rock floor, eating cold dry rations, and running a marathon per day, except on one of the days where he ran 2!

Please help David reach his fundraising target of £5,000 if you can, any donation no matter how big or small would be hugely appreciated. You can still donate HERE.

All the funds raised help us to provide vital support services including Mental Health Counselling, Addiction, Wellbeing and Housing & Benefits support, as well as specialist support for Ex-Services.

Massive thanks to all the sponsors who donated and supported and helped to make this possible!

The pictures speak for themselves – what an incredible journey and ranking!

A brilliant day was had by all on Friday as a group of Veterans from our Ex-Services group headed to the amazing Imperial War Museum in Manchester.

Our Co-Founder Andy Reid MBE  joined them, flying the flag for Armed Forces in his Morson Van, of which is he a proud Armed Forces Ambassador for. They were also accompanied by Rita from our Affiliate Foundation Partner Money & Me Solicitors.

Our Ex-Services group was set up at the end of last year for anyone from the Armed Forces or Blue Light Services. They meet once a week here at the STF hub over a brew and a breakfast bap and it offers them great peer support and a sense of camaraderie.

Everyone is welcome to join! Our next meet up is on Friday 25th April from 9am – 11am.

More details HERE.

Here are some of the pictures from the day below:

We are ecstatic to announce our latest partner to join the Standing Tall Foundation – LATUS Group, one of the UK’s leading Occupational Health Service Providers.

LATUS has a wealth of knowledge and experience, working with businesses to improve their employee wellbeing strategies, overall health and wellbeing and improve employee experiences. Their team of medical professionals, including Occupational health Nurses (OHNs), Physicians, Occupational health Technicians, Counsellors, Physios and Rehabilitators work with businesses to establish wellbeing initiatives, provide health assessments and make employees feel safe, well and happy in the workplace.

LATUS specialises in providing industry-leading, responsive Occupational Health services to UK businesses. They work across a wide range of industries, supporting employers to provide health and wellbeing support to the employees, ensuring that businesses are legally compliant, employees are safe and protected and that businesses can focus on growth and development.

Their team deliver a wide range of Occupational Health support, assessments, tests and medicals. From Management Referrals, Fit For Work Medicals, Workplace Testing and Assessment to Mental Health, Physio and GP support, their expert team of Occupational Health professionals are on hand to create bespoke solutions for businesses of any size.

They are dedicated to supporting businesses to protect the health and wellbeing of their staff. They operate across the UK, so you’re never far from a Latus Group representative who can help you and your employees, because good health is good business.

Each month Latus Group host an exclusive live webinar and are available for over 4000 of their clients to join, including Dyson, Morrison’s and Ford. They cover a variety of topics centred around health and wellness such as Mental Health, Cancer Awareness, Menopause, Men’s Health and Neurodiversity. In May they have LADbible founder Alex Partridge joining them to present a live hour-long webinar on ADHD and to share his story pre and post diagnosis.

Excitingly, they have been chatting to our Co-Founder Andy Reid MBE about hosting an episode with him in July. Watch this space for more details!

Chief Revenue Officer at Latus Group, Andy Atha added “We are really pleased about to enter into partnership with the Standing Tall Foundation. It was apparent from our first conversations that the values at STF align with those at Latus Group and we are pleased to be able to support those in need, especially in the veteran community,  through this partnership. We look forward to building on this relationship and supporting where we can in the future” 

We are delighted to be working with LATUS moving forward and warmly welcome them onboard!

Great news this week – we have another new local business, Nine Arches joining our Foundation Partner stable.

Nine Arches Services Ltd, based in St. Helens, Merseyside was established in 2023 by Sean and Rachael Pennington, who bring over 25 years of combined experience in the security and facilities management sectors. They are dedicated to a people-first approach, which not only elevates the quality of their services but also cultivates strong relationships with their clients and the communities they serve. You can rely on them for outstanding security and cleaning solutions that demonstrate their commitment to excellence and care.

Their mission is to create safe, clean, and welcoming environments for businesses and communities alike. With a team of highly trained professionals, they offer tailored services that meet the unique needs of each client, ensuring peace of mind and satisfaction.

If anyone needs help with security or cleaning solutions moving forward, please get in touch.

We are delighted to welcome Nine Arches onboard and look forward to working with them moving forward!

Dave Galloway, a 54-year-old army veteran from Nantwich, is gearing up to tackle the gruelling ‘Marathon des Sables’ ultra-marathon in support of The Standing Tall Foundation; so we can continue to provide vital assistance to veterans and disadvantaged individuals in need of mental health support, vital help and PTSD, addiction recovery programmes.

The Marathon des Sables is a six-stage ultra-marathon covering 250km across the Sahara Desert. Competitors must endure blazing heat during the day and cold nights in the open. The race includes running through dry rock river beds, mountainous rock formations, and vast sand dunes, all while carrying essential equipment weighing between 25-30lb. The event lasts nine days, with two days dedicated to equipment and medical checks, six days of racing, and day seven is reserved for a charity fun run.

Speaking about his motivation, Dave said: ”As we navigate our way through life, I want to demonstrate to my children and grandchildren that no matter what barriers you may face, with enough determination, plus help and support you can achieve what you may feel is unachievable – it’s a mindset!  

“I also want to prove to myself that I’m not finished. I have struggled with my own self-pity and struggled quite often with the question of, “why carry on”?  But it’s not all about me, I have a family and those that are better with me in their lives, and I need to remember that there are lots of reasons to keep driving forward.

“I chose to support The Standing Tall Foundation over other armed forces charities as I share a lot of the same values and passions. I have raised money for other military charities over the years, and they are all very well supported and well-known. The team at STF support so many, but aren’t as well-known as the likes of Combat Stress etc, so I feel that if my efforts can help them to help others and gain more visibility, then all this pain and stress will have been worth it.  

“The STF is an award-winning foundation and through this challenge I want to champion their great work and do what I can to get their name out there, hopefully generating further support in the future.”

Dave, originally from Liverpool, has a distinguished military career spanning 31 years. He joined the British Armed Forces at the age of 16 and served in the 1st Battalion the Kings Regiment, now known as The Lancs. He rose through the ranks to become a Warrant Officer Class 1 and was later awarded a Queen’s Commission, promoting to the rank of Captain. Dave retired from the Army in 2018, with his last post as the Risk to Life Safety Advisor & Live Fire Tactical Training Advisor to the Commander of 20 Armoured Infantry Brigade based in Paderborn, Germany.

Now a Human & Organisational Performance Specialist at Urenco in Chester, Dave is married to Nicola, and they have three children: Ben (28), Beth (25), Oliver (20), and one grandson, Noah (2).

Dave’s personal experiences have driven his passion for supporting mental health initiatives. He has lost friends to suicide and witnessed the devastating effects of alcohol addiction firsthand. This has fuelled his commitment to raising funds for The Standing Tall Foundation.

Over the years, Dave has raised funds for various charities, including Combat Stress and Help for Heroes. His dedication to supporting those in need is impressive, and the Marathon des Sables is his latest challenge in this ongoing effort.

To support Dave on his incredible journey, visit his JustGiving HERE.

We are delighted to announce that we now have a travel partner! Working closely with Marcus Edwards from Not Just Travel, we now have our very own Travel Website and Holiday App!

Marcus comes highly recommended, providing a completely personalised and bespoke service when it comes to booking your next holiday or trip, no matter how big or small. He will be supporting the charity by making a donation from all bookings made.

You can book via the link below or download the app as instructed on the site:

https://notjustholidays.com/standingtallfoundation

Marcus will be available every Thursday 10am – 2pm for a pop up shop, beginning on Thursday 6th March.

Come and see him in the Poppy Suite at our offices at the Living Well on Borough Road.

We warmly welcome Marcus onboard and look forward to working together moving forward!