Find out about
The Band of Sisters
A project exploring the 100-year history of the experiences of families living with wounded veterans. We interviewed 30 people about their experiences, wrote a paper and also created a children's book.
They teach them to be a soldier but when they come out they don't teach them how not to be a soldier
- Linda RudkinOne Hundred Jumping Beans
A collection of children’s stories supporting military families living with PTSD, injury and upheaval.
When we were developing our Band of Sisters project, we learned from the Catterick library service how few books they had to support children who are living with parents physically or emotionally changed from their service careers, or who were moving schools and leaving friends because of military postings. We decided to fill this gap by producing a series of stories for younger children which directly tackle these subjects.
Working with Le Catteau Primary School, author Paual Rogers and Illustrator Geraldine Sierra we ran workshops to devise plot and characters, directly addressing the needs of young children and involving them closely in the development of the books.
Click here to buy the book
Meet the interviewees
- Below
Our research paper
The Progression of the Understanding of UK Military Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder from WW1 to the Present Day, and The Role of Family in Veteran Mental Health Care.
Whilst much has been studied and written about the direct impact on serving and veteran military personnel, the stories of the families of those living with PTSD offer a new angle from which to observe the wider picture. Their suffering is acute – they fight the on-going battles their partners, children and parents fight, but their perspective is unique. Sometimes a fly on the wall, sometimes at the centre of the storm, the families are able to note aspects which escape clinicians, researchers and the veterans themselves.
Interviews with The Band of Sisters subjects gave new insight into the impact of military service on the families and communities of veterans. It is hoped that by adding the voices of these family members to the body of research in this area, lessons might be learned about how best to support military veterans and their families into the future.
Use the contact page to request a copy.
