Combat2Coffee
Part of the East of England Veterans’ Places, Pathways & People (VPPP) partnership, Combat2Coffee is a Community Interest Company (CIC) working with Veterans in custody and within the community. Alongside producing, selling and serving their own coffee, Combat2Coffee are dedicated to improving the mental health and wellbeing for Veterans and their families. They are one of 11 funded partners in the East of England supported through the VPPP programme, who all work together to support Veterans in need in the region. Formed in 2018, the organisation offers a barista training programme and assists with finding work placements or further support. They also roast their own coffee blend, supplying several local businesses including Ipswich Town Football Club.
Coffee is common ground
Founder Nigel Seaman served with the Army for 12 years. After being medically retired from his subsequent career as a prison officer, Nigel began suffering from depression, anxiety and flashbacks linked to his time with the Armed Forces. He was formally diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and received support from Combat Stress and Help for Heroes. This support inspired him to set up Combat2Coffee and contribute to the support network which has been pivotal in his own recovery.
During his recovery, Nigel noticed that people often felt more comfortable talking about difficult things over a cup of coffee. He explains: “when someone’s struggling, you can make a coffee and actually chill out. It takes your mind off it… It’s a conversation piece. If you sit opposite someone with a cup of coffee, you have common ground.”
Nigel realised he could use coffee to help others; and Combat2Coffee was born.
Positive outcomes through training
Roasting, grinding and preparing coffee can take time and the process can be an exercise in mindfulness. The barista training offered by Combat2Coffee not only upskills Veterans increasing employability, but it can also help improve their self-confidence and wellbeing. Their fully equipped barista training space in Ipswich is a calm, welcoming environment where supporting mental health and wellbeing sit alongside the training qualification.
Since 2020, Combat2Coffee have worked collaboratively with HM Prison Service to deliver a Level 2 Accredited Barista Qualification in dedicated prison cafes, providing Veterans in custody with training and employability skills. Participants can perfect their skills with hands-on customer service experience in prison cafes. These cafes also create a calm space for prisoners to discuss any issues they have over a cup of coffee.
Inclusive outreach
One of the outreach services offered are breakfast clubs, often held at Ipswich Town Football Club, with a family-focused approach. “We encourage that you bring your children and your wife because they’re part of it,” Nigel explains.
“The point of it is, there’s a lot of inclusion there. When you’ve got someone like a big football club involved, people will go there because they feel safe. We get younger, late twenty-year-old Veterans come with their kids. In our area we’re quite unique.”
Medals2Matches
Through VPPP, Combat 2Coffee have run a Medals2Matches initiative with Ipswich Town Football Club which encourages Veterans to wear their medals to football matches.
“The idea with Medals2Matches is, most people wear their medals at funerals and Remembrance Sunday when you’re out with the military. This is an opportunity to wear your medals in a different environment and it breaks down barriers and opens conversation. The difference this year was, there were loads of people who weren’t part of our group wearing their medals. If people struggle it gives them an opportunity to speak out…. sitting in the stand with all these Veterans, watching football. The response was phenomenal.”
Nigel explains that opposition teams who have seen the initiative in action are now taking it on too, encouraging Veterans to do the same at their home matches. Next year, Nigel hopes to expand the initiative to more sporting venues.
Working together to improve support
A key success in the VPPP programme has been the growth of collaborative cross-sector working among organisations that support Veterans, providing a more seamless pathway to support services.
Darren Hickie portfolio lead for East of England VPPP partnership and programme manager at The Bridge for Heroes, said: “Combat2Coffee has been an integral part of the VPPP East Region programme for the past two years. Not only have they provided direct assistance to Veterans in need, but they have also played a crucial role in fostering collaboration within the broader community. By encouraging cooperation across our region, we’ve been able to pool resources and establish a more cohesive support network, ensuring that Veterans receive the assistance they deserve without being shuffled from one agency to another. Nigel’s unwavering passion is evident in his dedication to generating innovative ideas for better serving our Veterans.”
Changing lives one sip at a time
It’s not just about the coffee, but what the coffee can enable. Starting conversations, gaining practical help,
training and a sense of achievement.
“I speak to Veterans and I’m honest that I struggle. And when you’re honest with a Veteran, being a Veteran
yourself, they’re more open” Nigel explains.
“We go out there and we meet that individual. And we will support that individual. We will make sure that they
get the help and the support they need.
“The old saying ‘you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink’, but sometimes if you take the water
to them, they will drink. I think that’s what we do. We give them the water to drink. Or give them the coffee to
drink”.
