SSAFA Reception

28th June 2023

Armoury House, HAC

Normally a blog is full of fabulous photos from extraordinary places featuring buildings and fellow Masters, Consorts, Clerks or honoured guests who enhance each event. On this occasion, I was delighted to chat once again with Master Farrier, Martin Russell DL, who sadly is nearing the end of his term and to meet another ‘new’ Master, John Fahy, Master Cooper.

Tonight’s reception in the Queen’s room at The Armoury House, HAC, to raise awareness and funds for SSAFA was spellbinding as we listened to Rich Jones’s life history. So spellbinding in fact that my mobile stayed switched off in my bag. Nick has written a book: Charlie Four Kilo, his first of a three book contract. The second one is due to be published in October. I have ordered the book and as inspiration attach his story as told by SSAFA in the invitation.

RICH’S STORY

Rich Jones, a veteran of the Third Royal Tank Regiment, became deeply involved in the illegal drug world. His family, unaware of his criminal life, was left shocked and in a precarious living situation when Rich was convicted. The family turned to SSAFA who helped them get by whilst he was in prison and Rich also engaged with SSAFA’s prison in-reach teams whilst he was inside.

“I joined the Third Royal Tank Regiment in 1988 at the age of 18 years old and was posted out to Germany. We were out there in relative peace time, so as an armoured unit, we never expected to do much. Then in June 1990 we were posted out to Northern Ireland,” says Rich.

“In 1993 I was sent to Cyprus as a part of the UN peace keeping force, but after we were posted back to Germany again, I felt the job wasn’t working for me and I wasn’t getting the operational opportunities I wanted, so I decided to leave. I was 24 at the time.

“I wanted to carve out a decent life for myself, so I went into close protection and surveillance. I thought I landed the best job in the world and worked with special forces, police forces and HMRC. But I started taking risks in my social life.”

Rich got caught up in the drug side of the 1990s nightclub scene and soon was distributing illegal drugs.

“I became the head of a major drugs distribution network across the Southwest of England,” he says. “My family had no idea what I was doing.”

In 2012, Rich was convicted and sentenced to 15 years. He was first sent to HMP Bristol and then moved to a prison in Nottingham. With a wife and two young children who had been left to cope alone, the family turned to SSAFA for some additional support.

“My dad actually recommended SSAFA. My wife and I decided that it was still important for the boys to see me even though I was in prison. At the time she was unemployed and searching for jobs, and the seven hours round trip with two young children was expensive. So, my wife contacted the charity and SSAFA engaged from day one,” says Rich.

“SSAFA came round with caseworkers, they had a completely non-judgemental chat and gathered the information they needed. They then contacted various organisations such as the Army Benevolent

Fund and my regiment association and they managed to secure a fund of around £500 for my wife to cover travel expenses. It made a huge difference and lasted for about nine months. It made her feel like she wasn’t going to be on her own, because she had support from a charity that cared.

“Over the years, SSAFA also helped when the washing machine blew up and when the bed broke. Those things could have caused real panic and stress, but we had access to a massive network of support through SSAFA.

“SSAFA also engaged with me inside prison. They were exceptional. All throughout my sentence, we had monthly meetings for veteran support. SSAFA was the only charity, which was consistently there, every single time without fail.

“It meant instead of panicking about what would happen when we are released, we knew we could get certain things in place with the help of SSAFA, so we could make an honest and worthwhile life outside of prison.”

In 2020 Rich wrote and published a book, Charlie Four Kilo. In 2021, with the help of SSAFA, he launched Project TLS, designed to help veterans transitioning out of the Armed Forces and those who may be struggling to integrate into the civilian community.

In October of 2022, Rich qualified as an UltraBLS (Bilateral Stimulation Trauma Therapy) practitioner, treating veterans and their families for psychological disorders such as PTSD.