Introduction
The Veterans Workshop, organised as part of the Macmillan Community Voices Project in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support, brought together veterans, healthcare professionals, community organisations and support services for a meaningful day of learning, collaboration and reflection.
The purpose of our workshop
The purpose of the workshop was threefold: to bring veterans and professionals together in one space, to raise awareness about cancer and the support services available to veterans, and most importantly, to learn directly from veterans with lived experience. The event enabled attendees to share experiences, build partnerships and begin to explore how services can be adapted to better meet the needs of the veteran community.
The programme for our day
The day began with a welcoming breakfast, and a special mention must go to Kim Barker, who organised refreshments throughout the day. Kims’ kindness played a huge role in ensuring that everyone felt welcomed and cared for.
Attendees heard from a range of speakers who highlighted the services available locally and shared powerful personal experiences.
Exploring support services
Todorina Hammond spoke about the support and services offered by Braintree District Council for veterans and the wider community, helping attendees better understand the local resources available. The Cancer Wellbeing Centre in Colchester was introduced by Joanne Rowe and Tracy Allen. Gemma Smith from the Bowel Cancer Screening Team then delivered an informative session raising awareness about bowel cancer, helping attendees better understand the importance of screening and early
Sharing lived experience
The most impactful parts of the day came from members of the veteran community sharing their lived experiences. A veteran shared with us their own honest and moving account of his cancer journey and the impact this had on them. The daughter of a veteran shared their own experience of trauma when learning their father had been diagnosed with cancer. These personal testimonies encouraged attendees to think critically about how current services can better meet the needs of the veteran community.
The lived experiences created emotional and honest conversations, with many attendees visibly moved. They also highlighted a key learning outcome from the workshop: not all services are currently designed with veterans in mind, and even small adaptations could make a significant difference.
Reflections
One speaker reflected:
“Listening to the veterans and their needs highlights that not all services are suitable for them and small adaptations would be very helpful. Also to be mindful of the language we use.”
This message reinforced the importance of compassion, understanding and flexibility when delivering cancer care and support services to veterans.
Learning and next steps
The event was extremely well received, with attendees praising the opportunity to connect, learn and collaborate. Importantly, new connections were formed between veteran groups and health-focused organisations, creating opportunities for future collaboration and improved local support.
The feedback and activities from the day, along with subsequent follow-up work, will all contribute to a report that will be shared with Macmillan. These findings will help inform wider local, regional and national conversations around veteran support and cancer care. While organisations such as Macmillan continue to strengthen long-term support for community groups, the workshop also highlighted the importance of local partnerships working together to create meaningful and lasting change for veterans in their communities.
To find out more about our Macmillan Community Voices project please contact us at voices@community360.org.uk
