We are on a mission to change lives on sip at a time.
Our purpose is to help create a world where veterans and all those who have been taught to be tough in the face of trauma are heard, understood, and supported – using coffee as a vehicle for conversation.
At an East Suffolk Council wellbeing event, we met Donna, a woman who shared her family’s journey—a story that highlights the impact of reaching out and the power of simply being heard.
Donna said:
“My husband joined the Army straight from school in 1999 and served for eight years in the Royal Engineers Regiment. In that time, he served in Iraq, Northern Ireland and Kuwait, amongst others.
“Since leaving service, he has had different jobs but still holds his moral values and is very proud of his time served.
“However, about six to eight years ago it become apparent that his mental health had been severely affected from his time served. When he first reached out to the GP, he was prescribed medication, and things did settle but the dosage had to be increased and increased again over time.
“During these years, he spoke to no one about how he was feeling or admit that he was really struggling (even to himself) and told no one other than me that he was on medication.
“Late in 2023, he decided to open up on his Facebook page and whilst initially people came forward, and I did feel it was a step in the right direction to admit his feelings, it didn’t really help.
“Things became worse at the beginning of this year, and I was truly worried about what he might be capable of doing to himself.
“In January 2024, I attended a marketplace event by my employer, East Suffolk Council. Part of this marketplace was a wellbeing focus, led by the HR team, and they had invited Nigel Seaman from Combat2Coffee to attend.
“I was keen to listen to what Nigel had to say as he too is a veteran and has openly struggled with his mental health.
“His talk really resonated with me and I approached him straight after the talk as I genuinely felt this man and his team could help my husband, if only I could get him to accept the help. Nigel listened and gave me his business card and a coffee cup with some useful support numbers on it.
“I took it home, told my husband about the day and about Nigel. The cup and business card sat on my kitchen counter for a few weeks.
“Then things really got bad and one day my husband left the house, we had no idea where he was going or what he would do, no phone, no car, just alone. I had no idea if I would ever see him again and he later admitted that he had no intention of coming home that day.
“Thankfully, he did and saw the coffee cup still in the kitchen and within a few days he had reached out to Nigel.
“Nigel and his team appointed him a support worker who called him regularly, visited us at home and spoke to the whole family. She arranged for him to have a clinical specialist speak to him to decide on the best way forward. He was diagnosed with PTSD with anxiety, and a few other related conditions, his medication was reviewed, and he accepted a course of therapy. He still has a weekly call with his specialist and his therapy sessions are going well.
“There is still a long road ahead for us, but the help is there now and when he is struggling or we need some help, we know there is someone we can go to.
“Mental health is a difficult subject to speak out about and it’s hard to know where to go for help if you or a family member or friend is struggling, but if I hadn’t attended the talk with Combat2Coffee and reached out to them, I am genuinely not sure my husband would still be here.
“I am immensely proud of him and what he has achieved in his Army career and everything he has done since.
“I am so grateful to the Combat2Coffee team for what they have done to help us.
Donna’s story is a powerful reminder of why we do what we do. A simple cup of coffee can open doors to vital conversations, and those conversations can change—and even save—lives.
Veterans and their families deserve to be heard. They deserve access to the right support at the right time. And they deserve to know they are not alone.
