Carol Betteridge OBE MCMI

Capt Carol Betteridge joined the Queen Alexandra’s Royal Naval Nursing Service in 1990 she deployed directly from Britannia Royal Naval College to Op GRANBY (Iraq) on RFA ARGUS as an Operating Theatre sister. On return to the UK she served at Royal Naval Hospital (RNH) STONEHOUSE in Plymouth followed by RNH GIBRALTAR. Returning to the UK in 1996 she joined RNH HASLAR as the Operating Theatre Superintendent running 7 Operating Theatres. In 1998 she was promoted to Lt Cdr and in 2002 returned to RNH GIBRALTAR, this time as Matron.

In 2004 Capt Betteridge was appointed to The Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ) in Northwood as a Medical Planner on the TELIC and Rest of the World desk, before moving onto the deployed element of the HQ joining Joint Force Headquarters. She deployed to Malawi on the austere exercises and assisted in the co-ordination of the evacuation of casualties from the Lebanon during Op HIGHBROW .

In 2007 Capt Betteridge attended The Advanced Command and Staff Course and on successful completion joined the Surgeon Generals Dept as SO1 Personnel and Policy. It was during this appointment Capt Betteridge was loaned to PJHQ as the Medical Planner for Operation ATALANTA dealing with ant-piracy operations deploying to Djibouti. In 2009 she was appointed as the Career Manager for Medical Services, QARNNS Officers and Warrant Officers at HMS EXCELLENT.

Throughout most of her Career she has worked with the Royal Marines in the Surgical Support Teams exercising in Germany, Egypt, Oman and Norway where she qualified in arctic survival. It was therefore an honour to be appointed as the Commanding Officer of the Hospital Regiment for Operation HERRICK 14 (Afghanistan) in support of

3 Commando Brigade, which was as she quotes "a humbling and life changing experience." Following a seven-month tour Capt Betteridge returned to the UK and the Royal Centre of Defence Medicine (RCDM) based at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham as Second in Command. RCDM receives all Operational casualties from around the world caring not only for the severely injured but also for their families. Following her deployment, she was awarded the NATO Meritorious Service Medal and in the 2012 Operational Honours List for her leadership on HERRICK 14 the Order of the British Empire.

Capt Betteridge was promoted to Captain in February 2013 and appointed as Chief of Staff (COS) to Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Health) (ACDS)Health in MOD London. As COS she assisted ACDS Health with Operational planning for the withdrawal from Afghanistan and military assistance to the Ebola outbreak in Africa.

Following her retirement from the RN in August 2015 Capt Betteridge was appointed as the Veterans Clinical Advisor for Help for Heroes, assisting Veterans with their healthcare within the NHS including Prosthetic care and Acute Brain Injury, liaising with the MOD, other charities and Government Agencies. In 2017 she was again promoted to National Head of Welfare and Clinical Services for H4H dealing with all aspects of Welfare provision whilst maintaining strategic oversight of the Clinical delivery. Through an award from the Headley Court Trust the Clinical Team expanded to deliver Community Rehabilitation and so Betteridge handed over Welfare to concentrate on Clinical Delivery which includes the oversight and leadership of the Very Seriously Injured Programme. This work is unfinished business for her as she wants to ensure the most seriously injured veterans receive the best possible support and care they deserve once they have left the Service. She is now Deputy Services Director for the charity.

She is married to Mick a non-serving, never retired, Royal Marine of 24 years and they are now living in Poole Dorset.

Julie-Anne Fulford ARRC

I joined the Help for Heroes team in January 2023 as our VSI Complex Case Manager. I was in the Army previously for 16 years and my proudest moment was receiving my ARRC (Associated Royal Red Cross).

I was in the QARANC for 16 years; my husband is still serving in the REME and my mum was in the RAF.

I was a Critical Care nurse in the Army looking after patients who were the sickest in the hospital. Now, I can continue to use my clinical knowledge to look after our most seriously injured veterans. Whilst I am no longer serving, I can now combine two important aspects of my life; nursing and the Military.

I provide clinical oversight to the role, making clinical recommendations for therapies, provide holistic care, and supporting the veteran and their families. I have extensive experience with complex injuries, dynamic support, and end of life care through my time as an Intensive Care nurse.

We are in unique in our delivery by providing clinical support on the ground to the veterans. The different the Charity is making is palpable at every home visit; it is such a fulfilling role and an honour to work with people who generally care about veterans and their needs.

Those that have given their time to the military have made a huge sacrifice and have unique and expensive needs; without the VSI network, who is there to support them and their families?

Jennie Rumble

I have worked for Help for Heroes since 2016 when I joined as a Case Manager.  Prior to working for Help for Heroes I served with Essex Police from 2010 – 2016, working as a frontline police officer and then working in the domestic abuse and safe guarding vulnerable adults teams. I then worked as the Manager for a Women’s Refuge. 

I can honestly say that working for the VSI network is my proudest professional achievement so far.  I feel hugely fortunate to be in a position where I can make a real difference to the amazing men and women we support. 

There have been too many highlights to mention them all, but one in particular comes to mind. This occasion was supporting a VSI veteran and his family to ascend Pen Y Fan.  It was hugely emotional – his Mum said that, in that moment, we had given her back the life she should have had with her son. The planning took over a year with some complicated logistics but that moment was worth evet single second.

My husband served in the military, leaving last year. It is impossible not to be passionate about this work.     Living with such complex needs is relentless and recovery from such serious injury/illness is not linear. 

It is like a Snakes & Ladders game where you can end up back at square one time and time again. However the positivity and drive of those supported by the VSI network is astounding and inspires me every single day.  

I have worked with Help for Heroes for nearly 7 years. To be completely honest I chose to work for the charity as I had moved to Catterick where my husband was posted and googled – Catterick Jobs. The Case Manager job came up and I successfully applied for it. I have then progressed into the Clinical Team to Operations Manager. It is strange that a job that has become such an important part of my life happened by complete chance.

When I first started in this role, one of the mum's of a VSI veteran did some PR for Help for Heroes and in the interview she said “it’s painful to think about the life he would have had”. I think about that every single day. These men and women are not leading the lives they should have been – that has been taken away from them and we can’t give it back. But we can support them to live their best lives possible and to thrive despite their injuries.  

Hannah Skeels

My current role is Occupational Therapist for the VSI Network. Within this role I have OT specific areas of speciality such as equipment provision, sleep and sensory education as well as some overlap with Jules’ role in clinical case management. 

Prior to this, I spent time working in the wider clinical team as an OT covering the South region where my role was similar but with mostly less complex cases and working with individuals on a shorter-term basis. I have also had a background in Adult Social Care, working in the community with people who had long term and often complex conditions.

I don’t have a singular greatest professional achievement, but I am proud that I earned a BSc (Hons) in Occupational Therapy, which is something I would not have thought possible after leaving school. I studied as an adult learner with a young family and I have developed rapidly and successfully since qualifying, taking an unconventional route through the world of OT.

My Father-in-law was medically discharged from the Army and supporting him had been a contributing factor when choosing to become an OT – he was my worst patient! In addition, my Grandfather served in the RAF and a few friends have served in the Army. 

Working for Help for Heroes provides a unique opportunity to support those who have served in the British Armed Forces. Help for Heroes recognises equal need to address both physical and mental health and the impact they have on one another. 

This holistic approach aligns with the nature of OT as a profession, as we are trained to work across both mental and physical health. I am passionate about supporting and advocating for veterans and their families who, as a group, regularly experience inequity and have a unique set of needs.

It takes a unique team to look after this group of people who can look outside of the box and think creatively about how to support veterans with such complex injuries and their families in a way which goes above and beyond services provided by statutory provision. We are supporting people to thrive and not simply survive and giving back to a community who have sacrificed so much for our nation.