One of Wiltshire’s military charities supporting injured former service personnel, Bound by Veterans was demonstrating its wares at Pewsey’s Bouverie Hall craft fair this weekend.
Dedicated volunteers run the charity, with materials paid for by donations and sales of beautifully produced handmade books.
The scheme, run in Woodborough, supports those injured or sick to improve their health and well-being by using the restorative and confidence-building qualities of manual bookbinding.
Former soldier Dean Williams from Pewsey, was shot while on active duty in 2009. The bullet hit his abdomen and came out through his shoulder, resulting in him being discharged from the army.
“I joined the army in 2007 and started coming to Bound by Veterans in 2012 and started off with the beginner courses. Now I do stuff day to day in Woodborough,” he said.
“It was one of the courses they run at Tedworth House and I’ve just carried on with it.
Tedworth House in Wiltshire is run by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) as a recovery centre for wounded, injured and sick serving military personnel.
“It’s great, as you can do this as a hobby all the way up to getting a City and Guild qualification. I do three days a week at the bindery to keep myself busy, and meet different people.
“There are people who have just left the army and coming straight in to work with us.
“It is very hands on and it is satisfying taking raw materials and turning them into something, and it is something you can do if you have been injured.”
The project’s patron is Bear Grylls, former reservist, chief scout and well-known adventurer.
He was very severely injured in a free-fall parachuting accident in Africa, where he broke his back in three places.
After enduring months in military rehabilitation, Bear went on to become one of the youngest ever climbers to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
Mylyn McColl runs workshops from a fully equipped bindery space in The Daffodil Barn at Woodborough.
“We also teach online, so if people can’t get to the workshop we can help them that way too,” she said.
”And we send out kits of materials too. Some of the books we have here today are from the military workshops. Some have been hand stitched and trimmed. They are very beautiful.”
The charity says therapy gained through the concentration and hand-eye coordination that is required improve self-confidence through learning new skills in a commercial environment.
Products are sold to customers around the world.
More information can be found at the website here: https://wiltshirebarn.co.uk
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