Bound by Veterans

General information

Bound by Veterans is run as a social enterprise scheme for Wounded, Injured and Sick (WIS) Veterans. It is based in a delightful thatched barn just outside Pewsey, Wiltshire, in an attractive rural setting, and shares the Barn with a very active bookbinding workshop run by a well-established London craft bookbinding firm (Shepherds Ltd). The Project was created through the sponsorship of the Stationers Foundation, a trust managed by the Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers, and now has several key supporters.

Aim

The Project’s aim is to harness the therapeutic aspects of manual bookbinding to create an enduring and self-sustaining business for WIS Veterans.

Who Do We Support

The charity is open to any wounded, injured or sick Serviceman or Veteran who has been discharched as a result of his or her illness. Spouses or partners of these Veterans are also eligible for support.

Benefits

Veterans benefit from the Project in several ways. These include bookbinding therapy gained through the concentration and hand-eye coordination that is required, and improved self-confidence through learning new skills in a commercial environment. To this can be added the increased self-esteem that the Veterans gain by creating attractive products that are sold to discerning customers around the world.

History

The idea for the charity is the result of discussion between a soldier and a bookbinder and, through the support of the Stationers Foundation, a series of trials and discussions were held in late 2011 and 2012 at the Daffodil Barn and at Tedworth House, a local Personnel Recovery Centre for Servicemen run by Help for Heroes. Following registration as a charity in late 2012, the Project has moved into its own premises in the Daffodil Barn, and manages a training workshop for Veterans, carrying our both training courses and product manufacture.