Paying - It - Forward A Veterans Story
As a result of my Pay It Forward project, I was approached by Nottinghamshire County Council and Motorfinity to be part of a project to help promote veterans within our community.
The project involved creating a series of portraits for an exhibition which will tour around our region. I was given full creative control and invited to shoot a variety of people from the military community. The project gradually grew to include a series of interviews with some of the individuals involved. Some of the portraits were shot on film, using vintage cameras, some of which are more than 70 years old. Processing and scanning the film myself, the work was expensive, time consuming and at times laborious, but I really enjoyed meeting some fascinating people, making it all worthwhile. For the interviews I adapted old lenses to use on more modern cameras, A £30 Helios 44, from the 1960s, makes an incredible lens for video. Similar lenses have been adapted and used in cinema production for many years, so I chose to do the same.
I relished the idea of promoting a community from which I am a member and staunch supporter. I served as a Photographer in the Royal Air Force for 18 years and have been involved with providing services to the RAF for the past 11 years. Seeing the system from within and more recently as an outsider has given me polarised views on what it means to be a veteran here in the UK.
Former Chief of Air Staff Sir Andrew Pulford CGB CBE Photographed and interviewd as part of the Paying It Forward veterans project
Shot on film, using a Mamiya RB67 and Ilford HP5 rated at 800 ISO.
Al Sylester. After spending 21 years on RAF Mountain Rescue, Al now spend his time in schools and colleges inspiring school kids with his tales of adventure.
Al Sylvester talks about his time on RAF Mountain Rescue and about his work in schools, inspiring children with tales of adventure and the world of possibility
Arthur and Glynis talk about their time as a military family. Arthur about his time as a Royal Engineer and Glynis about her experiences of loneliness. Unfortunately the couple lost both of their sons, and now seek solace in companionship with other veterans. The pair formed a breakfast club for fellow veterans that has become so popular it was awarded the Boots and Berets Award 2024.
Kirk Bowett, Former Soldier, Actor, Author and Survival expert.
Former Soldier Kirk Bowett talks about his time in the British Army. An inspiring and emotional discussion about his experiences of war, losing his arm and his struggles as a wounded veteran. An emotional and exposing video of a man who gave everything to the Army, who now uses his grief to inspire new servicemen and women joining the military.
Jamie and Mandy, with a picture showing happier times. Mandy lost her partner to suicide. As a means to help combat the grief, Mandy now supports the charity SSAFA, who helped her in her time of need. Jamie also supports Scotty’s Little Soldiers, a charity dedicated to supporting children who have lost parents to suicide
Diane has been a Bomber Command researcher for the past 25 years, helping families find out what happened to lost family members during World War 2. Diane gets requests from all over the world from people who desperately want to discover information about their lost loved ones.
Lisa and Justin talk openly about their time in the forces and the difficulties they have been through together. Justin, who suffers from PTSD and has lost most of the use of his legs, has managed to put his life back on track with the help of his wife Lisa. The couple support Newark Services Club and work tirelessly to bring the local veterans and civilian communities together.
Being gay in the British Military was illegal until the late 1990's. Sharon served happily as a WREN before being investigated and ultimately discharged under those rules. Despite this, Sharon went on to have a long and successful career in the Northamptonshire Police. Sharon talks openly about being arrested for being gay, and the stigma she suffered as a result.
Les served as a Royal Marine during World War 2, and supported the landings on D-Day, defending ships from aerial bombardments and surface attacks from human torpedos. In this video, Les talks openly about the long nights under attack and his work supporting a memorial to those who died during the period.