Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT) has awarded £45,000 to King’s College London to continue its sponsorship of the King’s Centre for Military Health Research Veterans’ Mental Health Conference (VMHC) for three years from 2021 to 2023.

The one-day Conference was originally set up as a response to the need for a reasonably priced event which would bring together a range of stakeholders with an interest in veterans’ mental health. The first Conference was held in 2015 and it has continued to increase in popularity, selling out each year. FiMT first sponsored the Conference in 2016.

Held at King’s College London, the Conference attracts a range of international speakers and delegates including prominent academics, researchers, and mental health practitioners. It offers attendees the chance to share ideas on emerging policies and interventions, and to promote and discuss new research findings. The aim of the event is to increase the understanding of the mental health needs of veterans and how they can be best supported.

Ray Lock, Chief Executive of Forces in Mind Trust, says: “I am delighted that FiMT will be sponsoring the Conference for another three years. Feedback from previous years has confirmed that this is an important and highly valued event where delegates can learn about the latest research on the mental health needs of veterans and their families, and interact directly with the researchers themselves. By funding this event, we are able to attract world-class speakers including political leaders, and it is a fantastic opportunity for delegates to network.

The low ticket price that our funding enables, together with the further discount we provide to members of Cobseo – the Confederation of Service Charities, ensures that even the smallest charity is able to attend and to contribute to the debate. This is a perfect example of how Forces in Mind Trust works within its Enabler Programme to promote better understanding and improve collaboration across the whole sector. We look forward to working with the team at King’s College London to continue to deliver a great conference over the next few years.”

Neil Greenberg, Professor of Defence Mental Health, King’s College London, says: “The annual King’s Centre for Military Health Research conference has become a key opportunity for a wide range of professionals to come together to learn about new research and new policy initiatives. We have been lucky to have a great range of speakers in the past including Prince Harry, various UK ministers and a foreign Ambassador, and importantly we have had enthusiastic and appropriately challenging delegates. We have really appreciated the sponsorship of the Forces in Mind Trust and are very grateful for their continued support and involvement in this annual event.”