Prince William demonstrated his compassion during a visit to the Norfolk and Waveney Mind rural outreach project, where he met a PTSD sufferer who became emotional while discussing the support he receives.
Royal Visit to Anmer Social Club
The future king visited Anmer Social Club, near the royal family’s Anmer Hall home, to learn about the progress of the two-year pilot project funded by William, Princess Catherine, and Mind. The initiative has already seen around 800 people since its launch, with early feedback highlighting the effectiveness of the chosen venues for group sessions.
Meeting with Paul Gannon
William spoke with Paul Gannon, a local businessman who has struggled with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Gannon, who has been supported by Mind for about four years, became tearful as he thanked the “amazing” staff. The prince gently placed a hand on his arm and told him to “take your time,” allowing him to compose himself.
Gannon shared his experience: “My experience is that Mind have become a sort of family. I’m very isolated up here, my family are elsewhere and, yes, they’ve been very useful. I’ve had PTSD issues which have really come back to haunt me and it’s good to be able to talk, not just go on to anti-depressants and things like that, to actually (talk) to real people, caring people and people you trust.”
Origins of the Project
Explaining the project’s origins, William said: “What I noticed was there was a lot of isolation going on, people were stopping me and talking to me about it, and I felt that was a bit of a nod to say ‘well, can you do something about it?’. And this is a bit of a pilot project to understand what’s the need, what’s the challenges in the rural community and how do we replicate something like this across the whole of the UK, so we’re not leaving holes in how we look after people.”
Men’s Mental Health Group
William also asked Mark Back, who runs Mind’s group for men in the area, what prompts men to seek help. Back replied: “I wish I knew the answer. Once we can get a man through the door and he gets to see us and the way we interact they tend to come back, there tends to be good progress, relationships form.” He noted that younger generations’ willingness to talk about mental health is influencing older relatives.
Menopausal Women’s Exercise Sessions
The prince also chatted with a group supported by Norfolk and Waveney Mind who participate in exercise sessions for menopausal women.
