I'm Pete, a veteran who spent 12 years living with PTSD. Every fireworks season, I'd sit in my car and cry because I knew what was coming. When the bangs started, you'd find me on the floor, clawing at carpet, trying to force my brain to remember I was home in Shropshire, not back in Afghanistan.

My experience isn't unusual. Far too many veterans endure this every year.

Fireworks don't just sound like warfare - they drag your mind back there. The anxiety, the threat, the memories. I could feel Afghanistan's heat and smell the sand despite being thousands of miles away.

The unpredictability makes it worse. Fireworks aren't just bonfire night - they're religious festivals, New Year's, random weekends. You never know when they're coming.

We know legislation won't change, so we need to help ourselves.

That's why I'm building Stand Easy - a completely free online toolkit for veterans struggling with fireworks. No registration, no data collection, just practical help when you need it.

Stand Easy will include:

After specialist therapy, I'm doing much better. Now I want to share what works - veteran to veteran.

I need £250 to cover:

Whether it's £5 or £50, you'll help veterans get through the toughest weeks of every year.

This isn't charity or a business - it's a veteran helping veterans. Every pound gets us closer to making fireworks season survivable.

Thanks,

Pete