Thanks to £250,000 of funding from the Trust, BOWRA Foundation is delivering the Building Resilience After Brain Injury programme for veterans, their families, and carers affected by acquired brain injury.
Over two years, the foundation will work alongside NHS rehabilitation teams in the South-West of England, and DMWS, to create clearer referral routes from hospital and diagnosis into practical, community-based recovery support. This vital work is bridging the gap between clinical treatment and community recovery for veterans and their families living with brain injury.
Sue Mosley, Chief Executive Officer of Bowra Foundation, explains more about what the grant will achieve:
“This grant will give BOWRA the opportunity to replicate our successful model of delivery in Dorset to reach out across the South-West of England, collaborating with a number of organisations to deliver a co-ordinated and needs-led offer to those in the armed forces community living with the effects of brain injury. The development of the BOWRA Bag, our national initiative, will give us a platform to plan for future growth across the UK.”
What’s it all about?
Overall, it’s about helping people feel less alone and supporting earlier recovery outside hospital care by combining practical tools, peer support and inclusive activities.
BOWRA are supporting people at a time when they may feel most vulnerable – while they are in hospital and in the first weeks and months after diagnosis. During this time, clinical support may reduce, but day-to-day needs can remain high.
The BOWRA Bag is a practical kit to support early rehabilitation. It’s shared through a growing network of hospital and community referral partners and is tailored to each individual, containing items such as pens, diaries, adapted cutlery, and activity resources. As well as the items themselves it helps the user understand how and why to use each item enabling self-management, confidence and independence.
Beyond the bag, BOWRA will grow peer-supported activities across the South-West with trained veteran volunteers running inclusive, accessible sessions to help people rebuild confidence and everyday skills.
Why this support is so important
BOWRA focuses on what people say helps them most; support from someone they trust, contact with others who have been through something similar, and activities that give them structure and purpose. All through the lens of an understanding of military life.
Demand for support and requests for the BOWRA bag have been rising. There have also been more enquires about local in-person activities across the UK – especially in the South-West. However, the BOWRA bag will be made available across the UK.
Anna Wright, Chief Executive at the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, said:
“Organisations like BOWRA play an important role in supporting veterans and their families at their most vulnerable. This grant will enable them to continue developing work that responds directly to the needs of their community and helps people feel more supported and connected.”
Find out more
We’ll share more about BOWRA’s work as the project progresses. In the meantime, you can visit their website at https://bowra-foundation.org/bowra-bag/
Want to learn more about the work we are funding under the Armed Forces Covenant Fund? Check out some of the stories from our funded projects.