Even the strongest people face mental health challenges
Your gift today could help fund RBL’s tailored support services — including the Battle Back Centre — providing vital support to members of the Armed Forces community as they take life-changing steps toward recovery.
RBL helped me regain my strength when it was hardest to find.Steve Cartwright, Army Veteran
“The real victory is that I’m still here” – Steve’s story
Like so many of those who serve, Steve Cartwright was trained to cope, to push on, to stay strong. And that made it incredibly hard for him to ask for help when life became overwhelming.
Steve served in Kosovo in 2000 and Iraq in 2003, and he returned home with no clear way to process the intense experiences and the memories he carried. PTSD and depression hit him hard. Everything was affected — his relationship broke down; he lost his home and family. He hit rock bottom.
But then came the moment that changed everything: Steve received an email from RBL about a week-long course at the Battle Back Centre. He very nearly deleted it, thinking ‘What’s the point?’ but at the last minute something made him decide to sign up. And this decision turned his life around.
The camaraderie and support he experienced at the Battle Back Centre helped him feel a sense of calm — and even fun — for the first time in years. And he got active again, discovering a love of archery, an activity that gave him focus and allowed all his worries to melt away.
Now Steve has a home and he’s back in his daughter’s life. And his archery has really taken off — he has even represented Team UK in archery at the Invictus Games. But as Steve himself puts it, ‘The real victory is that I’m still here.’
This is the difference you could make for more members of the Armed Forces community with a gift to RBL today
Donate now
Calm in a crisis: an RBL Recovery Case Officer’s perspective
“As a Recovery Case Officer for the Royal British Legion, every day I see first-hand the huge difference we can make, with your support.
“Our Armed Forces are home to some of the strongest and most resilient people in the world, but many of them are carrying more than most people will ever know, and it isn’t always easy for them to reach out for help.
“That’s why I, and my colleagues at the Battle Back Centre, need to be here. Gifts from kind people like you help ensure that we can provide the kind of vital, bespoke support — mental as well as physical — that people like Steve need to get their lives back on track.
“Thank you for anything you can give today — together we can help more veterans regain their strength.”
Sharon Parker
Recovery Case Officer, Royal British Legion
This is the difference you could make for more members of the Armed Forces community with a gift to RBL today
Donate nowTHE BATTLE BACK CENTRE: A community of strength
Since opening its doors in 2012 the Battle Back Centre has supported more than 10,000 members of the Armed Forces family.
Delivered by the Royal British Legion at Lilleshall National Sports Centre, the Battle Back Centre supports wounded, injured, and sick service personnel and veterans through structured recovery programmes.
- Hundreds of participants supported each year
- Multi-day courses focused on physical and mental recovery
- Programmes use sport and coaching to rebuild confidence and independence
- Strong emphasis on peer support and long-term wellbeing
- Proven to improve resilience, motivation, and outlook
Your kind support helps to keep the Battle Back Centre — and many other vital RBL services — in place for all those who need them. Thank you.