Veteran's advice for young people joining military

A veteran who works to raise awareness of the mental health of people who have left the armed forces has said it is important for service personnel to plan for the day they leave.

Johnny Bradley, from Telford, signed up when he was 16 and spent 19 years in the army before being discharged on mental health grounds.

Speaking ahead of National Armed Forces Day on 27 June, he said it was really important to plan for life after the military.

He also praised the support available in his area and said: "For me, Telford is probably the best place to be living if you are a veteran."

Bradley also works with AFC Telford United and Telford and Wrekin Council to support young people in the area through sport.

He said his advice to young people would be: "Certainly the army's a stepping stone, but long term I wouldn't see it as a career, I certainly wouldn't say 19 years because I think you've got to get out at some stage."

Bradley grew up in Northern Ireland and said he had "always wanted to join the army".

He added: "At the beginning it was quite difficult, but over time I got used to that, I found my independence as a young adult."

The army "gave me a purpose in life," he said, but leaving had been "a bit hard to take at the time".

Bradley believes his struggles are shared by many others when they leave the armed forces.

He said: "I think what a lot of people do in the military is they're fully-focused on their military career and then when they leave, nobody knows you in the community."

Before leaving, he said he did some volunteering work in the community to build friendships and help with the transition.

But he said: "It just feels weird that I haven't got that support network that I once had."

Telford and Wrekin Council said the area is home to more than 16,000 serving personnel, veterans and their families.

It is planning a parade at Southwater on Saturday and a free armed forces family fun day at the Broadoaks playing fields in Donnington on Sunday, from 11:00 to 17:00.

On Tuesday, it will have its armed forces outreach team in Telford Town Centre to offer support to serving personnel, veterans and their families.

Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.