Our Team

“Our success is not due to what we teach, but the way that we teach it.”

Born in Brighton, Chris served for 24 years in the Royal Artillery.  On leaving the Army he joined the GPO (now BT) but due to health problems he took early retirement.  He moved to North Yorkshire in 2012 and decided to stay! 

Chris has always been interested in heritage skills, especially anything involving wood.  He did a spoon carving session with the guys at the Personnel Recovery Unit and went on to set-up the wood workshop at Phoenix House Recovery Centre in Catterick to support wounded, injured and sick Service personnel, veterans and their families.

Heather is a war widow and comes from a family long associated with the Armed Forces.  She provided the initial funding to enable Veterans Woodcraft to set-up its workshop and she continues to support the team in many ways including providing financial and business guidance.   

Bob completed 22 years in the British Army as an Infantryman and left as a full Corporal.  Since leaving the Army, he worked in the welfare and employment sectors rising to the position of operations manager prior to suffering a debilitating mental health episode which forced him to have to leave his job.

He was diagnosed with PTSD, 25 years after a service related incident.  As part of his recovery, Bob took up woodworking and he has a particular passion for Scroll Saw work. 

As one of the main team members of Veterans Woodcraft, Bob makes commissioned items such as bespoke furniture, has worked with local school children on woodcraft projects and is teaching woodworking skills to veterans and the wider community. His work has been displayed in Carpenters Hall, London and Castle Bolton, North Yorkshire.

Ted joined the Royal Air Force 56f Sqn Phantoms in the early 1980’s as FLM, AKA Ground Crew.  He then moved to 54f Sqn Jaguars in 1991.  He left the Air Force and was diagnosed with PTSD, which he had suffered for 10 years.  Years of counselling and medication brought him to Phoenix House Recovery Centre and he started by making a Celtic Dragon in limewood.  He hasn’t looked back.  Over the past couple of years, Ted has taught himself CNC/CAD programming and is now an expert recognised by the CEO of Legacy (USA) who make CNC machines.

Ted’s work now hangs in the House of Commons and the Tower of London with commissions for the Queen’s Bodyguard at Buckingham Palace.  For Ted, Veterans Woodcraft has helped him rediscover his self-belief and confidence.

“I came across Veterans Woodcraft whilst working for another organisation and worked on a project together with them.  I was blown away by what they were doing, the results they were achieving and the difference they made to people’s lives.  I could clearly see their potential and where they were headed.  Therefore, when they offered me a place in their organisation, I didn’t have to think twice about joining them.”

Jeremy went straight into farming after leaving school and has over 25 years’ experience in business management.  After suffering with mental health issues in 2003-2004 he went to university and gained a BA (Hons) in Business Enterprise (with international studies) 2:1 and Diplome Europeen de Management International which he considered a good form of therapy.

Jeremy recently joined the team at Veterans Woodcraft to help him on his road to recovery and he would go as far as to say that Veterans Woodcraft restored his sanity and sense of humour.

Matt served for 14 years in the 1st Battalion the Duke of Wellington's Regiment (Infantry) seeing active service on numerous occasions in both Northern Ireland and Bosnia. After leaving the Army in 1999, he worked in telecoms as a mast rigger and then offshore as a wind turbine technician. However, in 2016 he lost his job after being diagnosed with PTSD anxiety and depression.

Seeking help, Matt was directed to Help for Heroes, and after various types of therapy he found himself in the woodshed making an electric guitar, where he met Chris Morgan.
Matt found that he has a creative side and Veterans Woodcraft has helped to unleash the creative monster that was lurking in the recesses of his mind. Matt has since taken to acting, performing and generally saying yes rather than no to opportunities that come his way.

“It is a privilege to work with the team at Veterans Woodcraft.  They understand first-hand what people with mental health issues are going through, and they know how to help.  By sharing their love of woodcraft and helping others create wonderful objects with wood, it is clear that these skilled and compassionate tutors have the power to change lives and even save them.  It is wonderful to see and truly humbling.”

Andrea has recently joined Veterans Woodcraft to help raise their profile. She has over 25 years’ experience in marketing and PR, the last five years being with Help for Heroes where she built strong relationships and delivered events including exhibitions of artwork and woodcraft, fundraising gala balls, fashion shows and Bake-off competitions to support wounded, injured and sick Service personnel, veterans and their families.