Richard Hilling MBE!
Congratulations to Dick who has been awarded an MBE in the New Year's Honour List.
Dick received an MBE for services to Victims of Trauma and Gulf War Syndrome. He told the BBC: “I was very surprised, but it’s funny, you hear from the celebrities that they get this brown envelope, and they think it’s from the tax people or something.
“It wasn’t actually a brown envelope, it’s quite obvious who it was from and I was extremely surprised.”
He was an RAF veteran who served for 28 years, and has spent his post-retirement life trying to improve the lives of those impacted by war trauma. Mr Hilling developed Gulf War Syndrome during the First Gulf War (1990).
Following this, he worked as a mental health nurse, and was awarded the Royal Red Cross, 2nd Class in 1994, because of the work he had done to tackle mental health issues in the RAF.
In order to continue providing a network of support for those who suffer from psychological trauma, Mr Hilling set up the Swindon Trauma Group in 2009.
“As a group, what we’ve tried to do over the years is just make people aware of the invisible injuries, post-traumatic stress and post-traumatic stress disorder, and refer to other agencies,” Mr Hilling said.
In 2013, the Swindon Advertiser reported on Mr Hilling’s work with the Swindon Trauma Group:
“Our aim is to give people information and help, and to spread the message that the symptoms sometimes mimic those of other conditions,” he said at the time.
“There are many veterans in Swindon who have alcohol and drug problems because their illness has not been dealt with.”
STG Annual Conference 2025
Swindon Trauma Group Conference was held on Friday 12 September 2025
at the Doubletree by Hilton just off junction 16 of the M4.
“ I think it was one of the most memorable nights of my life ”, the late Queen Elizabeth 2nd reflects on joining the crowds with her sister Margaret in London on the 8 May 1945, on the ending of the war in Europe.
The Swindon Trauma Group will commemorate the ending of the 2nd World War on the 2 September 1945, with interesting and moving presentations about the psychological support available during the war and how things are 80 years later.
For further information please click here
Children's Health and Wellbeing
If I have done anything even a little, to help small children enjoy honest, simple pleasures, I have done a lot of good.
Beatrix Potter
Here’s something really easy you can do to improve your child’s chance of future health and success, make sure he or she spends plenty of time playing outside. Throughout my childhood I would play outside cricket, football at the local park in Winchester or playing on a beautiful beach in Northern Ireland with wonderful views of the Mourn Mountains. Remember going “walkies” with the family pets.
Harvard Health Publishing - Harvard Medical School based in Boston USA states outside play is essential key for everyone’s development - children as well as adults. Is it not better to explore the great outdoors of the British countryside rather than challenge robots on a computer? Forest Holidays encourage children on the their website fifty ways to enjoy playing in the countryside:
https://www.forestholidays.co.uk/outdoor-education-and-child-development-guide/
or contact Emma Harper
Three of the ways to enjoy the outside the holiday group suggests are:
- The building of a fort in the woods is a great idea which helps with creativity and action planning. Good thought distraction and for children encourages group cohesion and dynamics.
- Playing shifting stones say across a pond is a really good fun. What a sight - seeing a flat stone skimming and bouncing across the water.
- Riding a bike through the woods is an excellent form of exercise which involves good co-ordination skills.
The Forest Holidays link page is very useful, particularly the mention of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. This year’s Bird Watch has been very successful and so very encouraging that most birds have increased in numbers.
For Harvard Medical School please visit Harvard University website: https://hms.harvard.edu/
Richard- Chair STG
