About Care after Combat

Care after Combat is dedicated to providing vital support for former
and serving British Armed Forces personnel within the justice system.

Home 9 About Us

Our mission is to ensure the wellbeing of veterans and their families through a comprehensive and empathetic approach. From our headquarters in Newark, we coordinate operations throughout England and Wales, leveraging a robust network of volunteer mentors to deliver essential assistance.

Join us in our commitment to making a difference.

Who We Are

The Care after Combat team consists of a small number of full-time and part-time staff, each bringing a wealth of military, clinical and justice experience. With our diverse expertise, we’re able to provide a service that meets the specific needs of veterans in the justice system.

Our operations cover Central England and extend to wider regions, thanks to our Regional Coordinators and strong Volunteer Mentor network. Together, we are united in our determination to support veterans, providing them with the tools they need to succeed.

Our Commitment

We believe in equality of opportunity for all, regardless of race, gender, disability, belief, sexual orientation, age or socio-economic background. Our aim is to foster a culture of inclusion and diversity, where everyone connected to our charity feels respected and valued.

Our extensive experience within the justice system, coupled with strong partnerships with other agencies and military charities, significantly enhances our capacity to deliver effective support. Our only motivation is the success and wellbeing of our service users.

Meet our Team

Our team plays a crucial role in fulfilling our mission. Each member brings unique skills and a shared passion for supporting veterans. 

Here’s an introduction to the people who make it all possible:

Our Senior Management Team

The senior team at Care After Combat keeps everything on track with their leadership and vision, steering us towards our mission.

Adrian Kirk

Adrian joined the Royal Navy in 1988 and served as an Aircraft Engineer for 29 years in the Fleet Air Arm, serving in several squadrons, units, and ships, and seeing operations in the Balkans and Gulf War II. Gaining a Commission in 1993, he undertook a broad range of appointments spanning media, HR, project & programme management, aviation regulation, as well as core Front Line aircraft engineering jobs.

Having had a fantastic military career with opportunities he would never otherwise have had, upon leaving the Royal Navy in 2017, Adrian wanted to ‘give something back’ and became a Volunteer Mentor with Care after Combat. With the Covid 19 pandemic bringing even more challenges for our Veterans, he took up the offer of joining the team full-time and helped set up and develop a remote support service known as Bowman, a service which has proven a great success.

He was commissioned by the board of Trustees to undertake a strategic review of the charity at the end of 2020 and was appointed as Chief Executive Officer in January 2021.

Evonne is a Veteran, having served in the Army, Intelligence Corps.

On leaving the Army Evonne worked in the Railway Industry as a Training Officer and in the charity sector as a Youth Worker, whilst also becoming involved in local politics.

Evonne spent over 20 years in local government with her last role being Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Skills. A keen volunteer Evonne was also Chair of Governors for a Primary School and Trustee of a Community Association.

Jane JonesDr Jane Jones, Doctor of Health & Social Care Practice. Jane is the Clinical & Research Lead for Care after Combat, in addition Jane is also the Clinical Lead overseeing a unique partnership of services between Nottinghamshire Offender Healthcare and Care after Combat. The partnership known as Veteran Care through Custody meets the needs of military veterans who are subject to a custodial sentence.

Jane has an in-depth understanding of mental health and well-being, particularly psychological trauma, taken from a career working across specialized mental health and forensic settings. 1989 2000 Jane worked alongside the Armed Forces Mental Health Services in the UK and overseas providing healthcare for serving military personnel and their families. 2000 – 2017 Jane co-developed and delivered psychological programs for the National High Secure Healthcare Service for Women and Male High Secure Personality Disordered Services Rampton Hospital. This work was adopted across medium and low secure services across the UK and abroad. 2017 Jane developed and delivers the Veteran Care through Custody service specialising in the needs of military veterans in the Justice System. This work has directly

Our Charity Presidents

Our Charity Presidents provide leadership and vision, guiding our strategic direction and ensuring we stay true to our mission.

A professional headshot of a man with shoulder-length wavy hair, wearing a dark suit, white shirt, and a patterned tie, smiling slightly against a neutral background.

Goose Cryer MC

President & Co-Founder

A smiling man dressed in formal attire, including a light blue shirt and patterned tie, standing indoors with a display of framed artwork in the background.

Bill Bones

Honorary President

Our Patron

Care After Combat’s charity patron is dedicated to providing support and assistance to veterans in need.

A distinguished man in full military uniform, adorned with medals and decorations, wearing a peaked cap, posing against a neutral background.

Sir Andrew Pulford

Patron

Our Charity Trustees

Our Trustees oversee our operations, ensuring we adhere to our values and operate with transparency and integrity.

A smiling man with short white hair, wearing a blue collared shirt and a lanyard, with an office window in the background.

David Rogers

Chairman

A man outdoors wearing a red sweater over a collared shirt, standing in front of autumn foliage, with trees and a grassy field in the background.

Brian Mair

Trustee

Headshot of Jason Poole OBE

Jason Poole OBE

Trustee

A smiling woman with shoulder-length blonde hair, wearing a white T-shirt and a smartwatch, seated indoors in a modern office setting.

Joanne Metcalf

Trustee

A smiling woman with silver hair wearing glasses, a red and black top, seated indoors against a beige wall.

Charlotte Dodden

Trustee

A portrait of a man with neatly styled gray hair, wearing a dark suit and white shirt, looking directly at the camera with a neutral expression.

Dean Fathers

Trustee

A bald man with a beard, wearing a dark suit, white shirt, and striped tie, smiling against a plain white background.

Bipon Bhakri

Trustee

Meet Our Ambassadors

Our Ambassadors play a vital role in raising awareness and advocating for our cause. They help spread our message and connect us with supporters.

A man wearing glasses and a tuxedo with a bow tie, smiling, in a black-and-white photograph with an elegant interior background.

Ian Campbell

Ambassador

Portrait of a bald man wearing a floral-patterned shirt in an indoor setting with soft lighting.

Keith Tate MBE

Ambassador

A man in a gray suit, white shirt, and teal tie smiling against a softly blurred office background.

Alistair Scott

Ambassador

A man in military uniform and beret smiling, with a backdrop of green foliage.

Colonel John Baynham OBE

Ambassador

Black and white portrait of a smiling man wearing sunglasses on his head and a patterned scarf.

Paul Whitehead

Ambassador

Headshot of Tina Donnelly CBE, TD DL VR FRCN

Tina Donnelly CBE, TD DL VR FRCN

Ambassador

Discover how you can support our mission and join us in making a difference.

Sign up to our Newsletter

Keep up to date with the latest events and news

Armed Forces Covenant logo featuring a lion holding a Union Jack flag, with a crown symbol above it and the text 'ARMED FORCES COVENANT' written in bold capital letters below.
The King's Award for Voluntary Service logo featuring a stylised purple crown composed of small interconnected dots, with the text 'The King's Award for Voluntary Service' beneath it.
Armed Forces Covenant logo featuring a lion holding a Union Jack flag with a crown symbol above it. Below the logo, text reads 'EMPLOYER RECOGNITION SCHEME SILVER AWARD 2022' on a gray background.
Disability Confident Committed logo featuring three icons in purple, blue, and green squares representing inclusion, security, and communication. The text 'disability confident' appears in bold black letters, with 'COMMITTED' in uppercase pink text below, all outlined by a pink rectangular border.
Pride in Veterans Standard logo featuring a semi-circle of colorful segments representing inclusivity above the bold text 'PRIDE IN VETERANS STANDARD' in navy blue, with a smaller text box below reading 'FIGHTING WITH PRIDE' in white on a navy blue background.
Cobseo logo featuring a cube design with symbols on its sides, including a Royal Air Force roundel, an anchor, and crossed swords, alongside the text 'Cobseo The Confederation of Service Charities' in blue lettering.