A FORMER army officer has won a lifetime achievement award for his work in tackling mental health matters, both in the British Army and civilian life.

Richard Dorney MBE, from Ludgershall, received the prestigious Ex-forces in Business Lifetime Achievement Award for his long-standing work in trauma risk management and mental health awareness.

He spent decades helping to de-stigmatise mental health conditions and encourage improved management of staff after traumatic events.

Richard also helped develop policy to support wounded, injured and sick military personnel, as well as to improve their recovery.

His work in the military and public sectors and emergency services as well as the private sector has had significant impact.

He said: “I’m immensely proud of this award — especially as I went straight from supporting officers from the Metropolitan Police Service and West Yorkshire Police with trauma risk management training to the awards ceremony at the London Hilton.

“In light of the University of Cambridge’s new research showing that rates of post-traumatic stress disorder in police officers is alarmingly high, I know that this training is essential.”

A former grenadier Lieutenant-Colonel, Mr Dorney formed his company Strongmind in 2015 with his wife Susan as co-director. He has assembled a team of highly-experienced expert military veteran trainers in the fields of mental health awareness and trauma management.

He is also a visiting lecturer at King’s College London.

Strongmind has delivered training to thousands of delegates across the UK in both public and private sectors, and last year it was recognised as the best business scale up in the 2018 Soldiering On Awards.

The British Ex-forces in Business Awards is the world’s largest celebration of ex-military in second careers. It recognises the value veterans add to businesses as well as the employers that support the transition of servicemen and women.