Veterans and serving members of the armed forces are volunteering to deliver food parcels to the most vulnerable people in Manchester during the coronavirus crisis.
More than 100 people have pledged to help their communities while also receiving the support they need to reintegrate back into civilian life.
Since launching last week OP-REGEN, a scheme being run by military charity Walking With The Wounded, has delivered 130 emergency provisions to 59 families across the city.
The group had answered the call for volunteers from Manchester council, which is coping with the pressures of the pandemic despite already-stretched resources.
But being part of the relief effort has also had a positive impact on the mental health and wellbeing of those taking part.
John Borges, one of the veterans signed on to OP-REGEN, said: “These are dark times for a lot of families within the community, even I’ve been struggling recently.
“I know with help and support we can all get through this.
“By volunteering my time to help and support those struggling is the most rewarding feeling, supporting the community is vital.”
Within 24 hours of offering their services to the council, OP-REGEN rallied the troops and secured four vans from rental firm Thrifty to carry out their first round of deliveries last Thursday.
The group had planned to head out every Thursday but with membership growing from 34 before the outbreak to 104, they are now hoping to help out every Saturday and Monday too.
Ex-serviceman Scott Briggs, who manages the OP-REGEN team, said: “Many of the people we’ve delivered to have been low income families or the most vulnerable.
“We delivered to a blind gentleman and it was really quite eye-opening to see the most vulnerable in our society.
“It was really uplifting for my wellbeing so I told the guys that I couldn’t imagine how they must have felt.”
Scott says he knows firsthand some of the difficulties that veterans face both during and after their service, having come from a military family.
The driving force of OP-REGEN is to tackle social isolation amongst veterans by rebuilding their confidence, and put the skills they developed during service into good use.
“The guys feel like they are serving the community again and they feel proud of what they’re doing,” says Scott, who is now a reservist with the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment.
“That is exactly what we want to achieve with OP-REGEN, we want to empower veterans to feel like they’ve made a positive difference while helping their social and mental wellbeing.”
For more information about OP-REGEN or to donate to Walking With The Wounded, click here.
