DMWS are finalists in the Soldiering on Awards 2022 - DMWS
DMWS Welfare Officers, Lee Bayley & Justine Clayton have been shortlisted as finalists for the Family Values Award at this year’s Soldiering on Awards.
Lee and Justine make up a fantastic team, they have a wealth of knowledge and deliver life-changing welfare support to serving personnel, veterans, and their family members across Somerset and Herefordshire. Many of these cases are extremely complex, dealing with suicide, PTSD, substance abuse, domestic abuse, and more. Both Lee and Justine come from military backgrounds, with Lee having served in the Royal Corps of Signals and Justine married to a veteran, both are familiar to the ongoing physical and emotional impacts of serving on individuals and their families.
In Herefordshire, services for military families facing mental health issues are limited and the rurality is a challenge for accessing support. Herefordshire CCG cites 40% higher mental health referrals. Meanwhile, Taunton has one of the highest veteran populations in the UK, with an estimated 50,000 veterans and dependents.
DMWS Welfare Officer Lee Bayley 
DMWS Welfare Officer Justine Clayton
Justine is responsible for delivering medical welfare to the armed forces community in Somerset, the service is designed to identify and support complex cases and offer support to the whole family. Justine is embedded into the NHS trust and works closely with the hospital staff and the mental health unit to identify those affected and provide them the support they need.
Justine said about her nomination; “Although we don’t do this job for awards or thanks, for our work to be acknowledged and recognised in this nomination makes me very proud and honoured.
Often the vital work we do in supporting families in their time of crisis isn’t widely known, this nomination will help to change that. It is extremely rewarding and a huge privilege for these families to trust us to support them and so this nomination means a great deal to myself and those I support.
I know personally from families I am supporting how much DMWS has been there for them and supported them in very hard times. So, they too are very pleased that this work is being seen on a bigger stage and how people will know more about the level of work we do in the military community.”
Lee provides a single point of contact for veterans and their families/carers when receiving health treatment in Herefordshire acute or mental health services; she coordinates comprehensive, appropriate packages of support that complement and continue post intervention. Working in partnership with The Cart Shed service users are also able to access specialised children and family’s mental health activities and support through Lee.
Speaking on her nomination, Lee said; “I am overwhelmed and proud to be nominated for the SOA, to me, it’s a job I simply love! My role allows me to work with extraordinary ex-servicemen and women and their families, ranging from WWII veterans to newly discharged recruits, and everything in between.
I am a proud veteran who has had many barriers along my journey and it’s an honour to support others in need. I’m extremely lucky in my role and it’s vital that DMWS gets the recognition and merit so that services continue, and support doesn’t stop for our Armed Forces community – this includes services locally I work alongside as a holistic approach to achieve better goals often.”
I am a proud veteran who has had many barriers along my journey and it’s an honour to support others in need. I’m extremely lucky in my role and it’s vital that DMWS gets the recognition and merit so that services continue, and support doesn’t stop for our Armed Forces community – this includes services locally I work alongside as a holistic approach to achieve better goals often.”
Following the exceptional work from both Lee and Justine, in March 2022 the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (AFCFT) awarded further funding to the Defence Medical Welfare Service (DMWS) to continue the provision of services for the military communities of Somerset & Herefordshire.
////
Paul Gaffney CEO of DMWS says “Firstly I would like to say well done to Lee & Justine on being recognised for their work and for being finalists in this year’s awards. For the past two years both Lee & Justine have demonstrated unfaltering dedication and professionalism, their humanistic approach to welfare underpins the ethos of our organisation and their position as finalists prove that they are true representations of who DMWS are and what we aim to achieve.”
Both Lee & Justine are outstanding examples of our commitment to the Armed Forces community and to the work we do and everyone at DMWS would like to extend a huge congratulations to Lee & Justine on their nominations. We look forward to celebrating their success at the award ceremony in July.
Defence Medical Welfare Service Details:
The St John and Red Cross Defence Medical Welfare Service (known as DMWS) is a registered charity in England and Wales (1087210) and in Scotland (SC045460)
Registered Office: The Old Stables, Redenham Park, Andover, SP11 9AQ
Phone: 01264 774 000 | Email: info@dmws.org.uk
For media enquires please contact Sophie Stockings at sstockings@dmws.org.uk
Published: 25th June, 2022