A group of military veterans who run a support organization focused on mental health are reflecting on Remembrance Day and the importance of supporting their fellow veterans. Combat 2 Coffee, a not-for-profit organization that promotes conversations about mental health over coffee, was founded in Suffolk in 2018. Last year, the group served more than 250,000 cups of coffee at their Ipswich coffee shops and mobile units.
Paul Martin, a member of Combat 2 Coffee, served in the army for 12 years, completing tours in Northern Ireland and Bosnia before leaving in 1998. He shared that for him, Remembrance Day is a daily occurrence. “There’s not a day I don’t think about friends who are no longer with us,” Martin said. “When you forget them, they stop living. We have to make sure their sacrifice is remembered.”
Nigel Seaman, the founder of Combat 2 Coffee, described Remembrance Day as “quite an emotional time” for veterans. “There are many people out there who struggle. I want them to use this time of reflection to get the help they may need,” Seaman said. “I think that’s the important thing about remembrance.”
The organization is currently expanding its roasting facilities in Ipswich, and recently welcomed former Ipswich Town and England football legend Terry Butcher as a patron. Butcher’s son, Christopher, who served as a captain in the British Army and was deployed in Afghanistan with the Royal Artillery, battled post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after returning home. He died in October 2017 at the age of 35.
Seaman’s mother, Maureen Flewitt, also joined Combat 2 Coffee after the death of her husband. Speaking on BBC Radio Suffolk, she explained how the work gave her a new purpose while reflecting on the struggles her son faced after serving in the military. “When he joined the military, it was hard, but it made him a man,” she said. “But after coming back from Northern Ireland, I’d hear him shouting number plates in his head in the middle of the night. I’ve seen how much he’s struggled in the last 10 years, and it hasn’t been easy. No one prepares you for when they come back.”
Paul Martin also shared his thoughts on Remembrance Day. “I smile a lot when I think about my colleagues. I remember the positive bits—the funny but stupid stuff. That’s what keeps my demons in the background,” he said. “I became involved with Combat 2 Coffee because I believe in it. It’s a safe place where servicemen and servicewomen can feel comfortable to speak their minds. They know the person across from them understands and has empathy. It’s not about giving them false comfort, but about providing real support.”
Combat 2 Coffee continues to offer a space for veterans to talk openly and seek help in a supportive environment.
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