Forces in Mind Trust has awarded £150,000 to King’s College London for a research project exploring the mental health and wellbeing of UK Gurkha veterans.

The research, led by Professor Edgar Jones, will investigate the mental health and wellbeing of racial and ethnic minority service personnel and veterans since 1997, focussing on Gurkha soldiers serving in the British Army. Working with the community and associated charities, it will explore their experiences of military culture and support including any perceived discrimination during service; access to employment, health and welfare support post-service; and psychological experiences including resilience, mental illness, and sense of belonging and identity in wider society.

The project will aim to provide a better understanding of the risks and protective factors for the wellbeing and social inclusion of Gurkhas who served in the UK Armed Forces.

Tom McBarnet, Chief Executive (Acting) of Forces in Mind Trust, said “This project will address a previously overlooked area of research, and fill an important gap in our understanding of transition to civilian life for a unique and valued cohort within UK Armed Forces personnel and their families. We are delighted to be able to support the study team, which brings a wealth of experience to the project. We look forward to seeing the final results, which should help in understanding more about the experiences of UK Gurkha veterans.”

Professor Edgar Jones, King’s College London said “This is a timely project and important for the future wellbeing of UK Armed Forces in what appears to be an increasingly unstable global environment.”