CELEBRATE WITH A
STREET PARTY OR SIGN UP TO BREW & BAKE
HOST A VE DAY STREET PARTY
VE Day marked an end to six years of German involvement in World War Two. People celebrated the victory with street parties, dancing and singing. For the 80th anniversary, we’re asking our supporters to re-create that war-time spirit with their local community by holding a street party on Bank Holiday Monday (5 May 2025) to help raise funds for veterans today.
TAKE PART IN 'BREW AND BAKE'
8 May 2025 marks 80 years since the end of World War Two. So why not celebrate with a Brew and Bake whilst also supporting the ongoing needs of veterans today? Simply order your pack, invite your friends, family, colleagues and community, and put the kettle on.
"As we approach the 80th anniversary of VE Day, it’s a time to reflect upon the profound impact the Second World War had on those who lived through it. Its legacy defined the lives of everyone who experienced it and shaped the world we live in today.
“Whilst Combat Stress was founded in the aftermath of the First World War to help those experiencing what was then known as ‘shell shock’, the Second World War brought more veterans seeking our help. Our records show that we supported veterans from the Second World War right up until 2016. But it’s not just Second War World veterans who have benefited from our specialist mental treatment. In the 80 years since VE Day, we’ve supported thousands of former military personnel who’ve experienced military trauma, helping them to tackle their past and take on the future.
“We continue to support those who served, focusing on those with complex mental health issues including post-traumatic stress disorder, as a result of military trauma. It’s only thanks to generous support from people like you that we’re able to provide our life-changing mental health treatment to veterans today."
Chloe Mackay, CEO, Combat Stress
£30
£30 could fund a veteran's call to our Helpline so they can start receiving life-changing treatment.
£58
£58 could allow a veteran's family members to use our Family Support Service to help them understand the mental health symptoms, the treatment Combat Stress is providing and how to help the veteran in their family.
£120
£120 could pay for one veteran to have an appointment with their psychological therapist to help them and make sense of their trauma to aid their recovery.
Every year thousands of former servicemen and women struggling with their mental health as result of military trauma turn to Combat Stress.
It takes on average 13 years from leaving the military for a veteran to seek our help. We know that for many the battle continues at home for those who can’t leave their experiences behind.
As the UK’s leading veterans’ mental health charity, last year we helped nearly 12,500 former servicemen and women but that’s a fraction of the number that need expert support to recover from their experiences and live happy and productive lives.?
Ten years after Britain’s involvement in the Afghanistan conflict formally ended, and 13 years after Britain’s involvement in the Iraq War formally ended, it’s a sombre prediction that there are already many more veterans who are struggling today and contemplating their first call to Combat Stress.
Average age of veterans we treat
Number of veterans benefited from our help in past twelve months
