The safe space helping veterans reflect over coffee

Military veterans who run a support organisation that starts conversations about mental health over coffee have been sharing their reflections for Remembrance Day.

Combat 2 Coffee was started in Suffolk in 2018 and last year served more than 250,000 cups from its coffee shops in Ipswich and mobile units.

Paul Martin, who is a member of the not-for-profit group, left the army in 1998 having served for 12 years, completing tours of Northern Ireland and Bosnia.

"For me, remembrance is every day - there's not a day I don't think about friends that are no longer with us," he said.

"When you forget them, they stopped living. We have to make sure that their sacrifice is remembered."

Combat 2 Coffee founder Nigel Seaman said Remembrance Day was "quite an emotional time".

"There's a lot of people out there who struggle and I want them to use this time of reflection to maybe get help if they need help," he said.

"I think that's the important thing about remembrance."

The team is currently expanding its roasting facilities in Ipswich and have welcomed the former Ipswich Town and England football legend Terry Butcher as a patron.

Mr Butcher's son, Christopher, 35, was a captain in the British Army and served in Afghanistan with the Royal Artillery.

But on his return home he battled post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). He died in October 2017.

Mr Seaman's mother, Maureen Flewitt, also came out of retirement to help out at Combat 2 Coffee after her husband died.

She spoke to BBC Radio Suffolk about how the work gave her a new purpose, but also shared her experience of seeing her soldier son leave the armed forces with PTSD.

"When he joined the military it was quite hard, but it made him a man," she said.

"But I see him come back from Northern Ireland, and I see him shouting number plates in his head in the middle of the night.

"I've seen what a struggle he's had in the last 10 years and it's not been pleasant.

"Nobody prepares you for when they come back."

"I see remembrance... there's lots of positives to come out of it as well," Mr Martin added.

"I smile a lot about my remembrance of my colleagues, because I remember the positive bits, the funny but stupid stuff.

"That's what keeps my demons way in the background and keeps them well hidden.

"I became involved with this [Combat 2 Coffee] because I believe in it.

"It's a safe place where servicemen and servicewomen can feel comfortable to just say what's really on their mind and know that the person sat opposite them understands, has empathy with them.

"Not be there and say 'there, there, it's fine, it'll all be good' - because it won't.

"Only they can make it right in their own head, with the right support."

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