Kevin Reilly, a Veteran and Veterans Outreach Support member/volunteer was presented his City & Guilds Bookbinding Diploma at a VOS Bookbinding workshop with ‘Bound by Veterans‘ held at The Royal Maritime Hotel in Portsmouth.
Proudly praising both charities in having been a vital component of his mental health management. he is now both an active ‘Bound by Veterans’ volunteer and a volunteer on the Wellbeing activities team with VOS.
Kevin Reilly, VOS member/volunteer said:
“It was so nice to be presented the award by my bookbinding mentor Wendy Lagden, especially during the session in front of my peers and the staff at VOS. These organisations have played a significant role in my life journey”
Wendy Lagden (Bound by Veterans mentor) congratulated Kevin, saying:
“I’m delighted to present Kevin with his City & Guilds Diploma in Bookbinding – this covers a vast range of activities: restoration, making boxes, different types of bindings and he has done an absolutely brilliant job in achieving his Level 3 Diploma!”
Kevin was deployed everywhere from the jungles of Belize to the streets of Northern Ireland. While serving as a member of the Quick Response Force, Kevin was injured in a shop bombing in Belfast.
Driven by a desire to help others, he pursued a degree in Social Work and Law, eventually becoming a Youth Court Officer focusing on writing complex analyses of offenders and proposing rehabilitative judgements.
The cumulative trauma of these high-pressure roles eventually took its toll, resulting in a diagnosis of Complex PTSD and whilst recovering at Tedworth House, Kevin discovered the mindful nature of bookbinding.
He explained:
“The sessions provided by VOS are one of the most popular activities. Within the session participants are carefully taken through the construction of a bespoke hardbound notebook which they enjoyably take possession of at the end, it is one of the most therapeutic activities I know.”
For Kevin, bookbinding takes a well-earned rest over the summer but he will return to it in the Autumn.
