Chronicle April 2016

19 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

Heather: Heather received support from Restore to get back into work and to rebuild her life after being in hospital. I first found out about Restore during my time as an inpatient at Warneford Mental Health Hospital. I came on the recommendation of the nursing staff on my ward, following my discharge from their care. At the time, life was quite frightening and bewildering. I wasn’t sure how to piece back together my working life. Staff at Restore are knowledgeable and friendly, and are all very willing to try and help you the best they can. The support I have received, especially from my employment coach, Shelley, has been truly wonderful helping me to get back on my feet and back into work. I learnt how the whole process of job hunting works these days. It’s been a while since I’ve been in this situation, and Shelley’s knowledge and encouragement was the best support I could have hoped for. Restore is an absolutely wonderful service and I have very much to thank the charity for. It would have taken me a lot longer to rebuild my life again without the help I received, and I am extremely grateful and thankful. I benefit every day from the charity’s input into my life.

Martin on tour in Afghanistan

Martin Realey Martin is Chief Executive at Restore. He told us about working at the charity, and his own experiences of mental illness.

I was both surprised and encouraged by the number of transferable skills the Army had developed in me for my position as Chief Executive of Restore. I had planned a full career in the Parachute Regiment but unfortunately the frequency and intensity of operational tours became no longer compatible with my life goals. As a husband of nine years and father of two, my priorities had to change. Despite weekly therapy, antipsychotics, antidepressants and rehabilitative leave, I was becoming more and more distanced from emotions and other people. The role of a charity Chief Executive is remarkably similar to the responsibilities of a military commander. You are often surrounded by experts in their respective fields, under resourced for the scale of the operation, yet the focal point of decisions and accountability. In the army I relied heavily upon the good will of others, empowering my subordinates and trusting my gut instinct. This has been my approach to heading Restore. I am blessed

to be leading a group of individuals with a collective education, knowledge and experience greater than any book or course could ever provide. I must listen to every single piece of advice, walk in the steps of members, clients, volunteers and staff members, and once again trust my instincts. I have enormous pride in leading Restore. Whilst far from a prerequisite, I believe my personal ongoing trials with mental illness add empathy to much of my decision-making. Reliant on medication and a weekly user of psychological services, I can understand what some of our members may be experiencing daily. What is truer than any of this, though, is the power there is in educating others about mental illness. Whatever someone’s diagnosis is, it shouldn’t drive their existence. I am a father, a husband, a CEO, a veteran, a PTA board member, a rugby player, a rugby coach, an amateur photographer and a lousy poet. I just happen to also have a mental illness.

Cars on the Quad?! We’re surprised the Bursar allowed it. These audacious vehicles were driven by Meriel Turner ( Duke ofYork’s Royal Military School ), Lucy Kellock ( Cheam ), Emma Measey ( Beachborough ), Harriet Miesegaes ( Tudor Hall ), Kim Pushong ( Sotogrande International ) and Storm Sunderland ( Winchester House ) on Disney and Pixar dress up day in aid of Restore.