Following on from her landmark report looking into the female military experience last week, Sarah Atherton MP was delighted to visit Forward Assist and Salute Her UK. Sarah is a Patron, and she enjoyed seeing first-hand the excellent work the organisation does to support women who have served in the Armed Forces.
Sarah has worked closely with Paula Edwards, who leads Salute Her UK, over the last year. During the inquiry and Paula gave evidence to the Defence Select Committee, providing valuable evidence about life for female service leavers, and specifically the lasting impact that Military Sexual Trauma (MST) has on a female veteran.
Salute Her are the only tri-service charity in the UK which focuses solely on women, providing a gender specific support service, and are part of the larger charity, Forward Assist, which itself helps veterans across the UK through research, education, advocacy and support projects. Salute Her assists women who have served in the Armed Forces, focusing on the physical, emotional and social aspects of life whilst advocating for, empowering and educating women. Their projects include their 'Women Veterans Task Force', the 'Women Veterans Research Collaborative' and the 'Military Sexual Trauma Group'.
During the visit, Sarah took part in a virtual meeting with women who access Salute Her UK services from all over the UK and some even further afield. During the meeting, there was a discussion about the military and veteran experiences, the essential support provided by Salute Her UK and the detail of the report and recommendations that was made to the Ministry of Defence.
