0:00:03 > 0:00:07One of the things I love about us Brits is our spirit of generosity.
0:00:07 > 0:00:10If I can give back to somebody who had a similar struggle to my own,
0:00:10 > 0:00:13then that's what I'd like to do.
0:00:13 > 0:00:16Last year, nearly 3/4 of us gave to charity.
0:00:16 > 0:00:18But what if you had the chance to go back
0:00:18 > 0:00:21and relive moments from your past?
0:00:21 > 0:00:22I wish I was 18 again.
0:00:24 > 0:00:26I'm expecting Mum and Dad to walk out now and say, "Hello."
0:00:26 > 0:00:28- You know?- Yeah.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31Moments which would inspire you to want to help someone today.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34I want to give back to those people that are going through that
0:00:34 > 0:00:36that I went through in the beginning.
0:00:36 > 0:00:38If I can give something to somebody else that will change their lives,
0:00:38 > 0:00:40- I'd really love to.- Fantastic.
0:00:40 > 0:00:44Someone who had no idea this life-changing windfall was coming.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48I have got, potentially, her dream in my hand.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51- How are you feeling?- Nervous.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53'There'll be surprises.'
0:00:53 > 0:00:55- How are you?- Doing good?
0:00:57 > 0:00:58Thank you so much.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00Thank you.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03'With acts of generosity that will change people's lives...'
0:01:03 > 0:01:06- I'm really excited. - We're all crying!
0:01:06 > 0:01:09- Do you need a hug as well? - Yeah, thanks.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11'..forever.'
0:01:11 > 0:01:12Wahey! That was brilliant.
0:01:12 > 0:01:14Somebody that just does that for people,
0:01:14 > 0:01:16it's just amazing, it really is.
0:01:16 > 0:01:18This is Going Back, Giving Back.
0:01:29 > 0:01:33Today we're going back to the 1940s and Nottinghamshire.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36This is a story of determination and hardship,
0:01:36 > 0:01:40a time when the courage of thousands saved an entire nation.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45'We discover the sacrifices made by a generation of women
0:01:45 > 0:01:47'during World War II.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50'How will one lady react when we take her back
0:01:50 > 0:01:51'to where it all began?'
0:01:51 > 0:01:54Just think, without you and the other girls,
0:01:54 > 0:01:56we wouldn't have survived.
0:01:56 > 0:01:58Well, you would've survived, I think,
0:01:58 > 0:02:00but it would've been very, very difficult
0:02:00 > 0:02:02because the Land Army girls did everything.
0:02:04 > 0:02:05Will this inspire a mother and daughter
0:02:05 > 0:02:08to want to give something back today?
0:02:08 > 0:02:11When I think of everything that you did and everyone else did
0:02:11 > 0:02:14for the war, made so many sacrifices,
0:02:14 > 0:02:18I think it would be nice for us to give back in our own way.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21Can they make life easier for a special family
0:02:21 > 0:02:23who are going through a very rough time?
0:02:23 > 0:02:28You can look at him and you can see his body, his face, everything,
0:02:28 > 0:02:29but, in his eyes, you can see that
0:02:29 > 0:02:32he's gone somewhere completely different.
0:02:32 > 0:02:36And the tension builds as we prepare for a massive surprise...
0:02:36 > 0:02:39They, of course, have no idea that we're coming. How do you feel?
0:02:39 > 0:02:42- I feel good.- Do you? I'm really nervous!
0:02:42 > 0:02:45..with a gift that will transform their lives.
0:02:46 > 0:02:47It's really our pleasure.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57I'm in the glorious countryside near Nottingham
0:02:57 > 0:03:01to meet a mother and daughter who want to give something back.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04In the 1940s, one of them called this place home.
0:03:04 > 0:03:08It was three years into World War II, and most of the farm workers
0:03:08 > 0:03:11from this area had been called up to fight.
0:03:13 > 0:03:15With so few men around, there was no-one left to carry on
0:03:15 > 0:03:18the fundamental job of growing crops to feed Britain,
0:03:18 > 0:03:21so the government called on the nation's young girls
0:03:21 > 0:03:22to become farmers.
0:03:22 > 0:03:26By 1943, an astonishing 80,000 Land Girls
0:03:26 > 0:03:28were working out in the fields.
0:03:28 > 0:03:29I'm on my way to meet one of them now.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31I can't wait to hear her remarkable story.
0:03:37 > 0:03:39- Hello, hello, lovely to see you both.- Thank you.
0:03:39 > 0:03:40Nice day for it, as well!
0:03:42 > 0:03:45'Jean spent most of her adult life living in America
0:03:45 > 0:03:47'where her daughter, Brenda, was born.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49'But it was during World War II, as a teenager,
0:03:49 > 0:03:53'that she was based not far from here in Nottinghamshire.'
0:03:53 > 0:03:55So, let's get to the nitty-gritty -
0:03:55 > 0:03:58what's driving you to want to give something back today?
0:03:58 > 0:04:02Well, Mum is about to celebrate her 90th birthday,
0:04:02 > 0:04:06and she felt that it would be a wonderful idea
0:04:06 > 0:04:11to be able to give back to somebody else
0:04:11 > 0:04:13so that we have something to remember
0:04:13 > 0:04:16for this particularly special year.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18It's Jean's time as a Land Girl that's made her
0:04:18 > 0:04:20want to give something back today
0:04:20 > 0:04:23in commemoration of her wartime service.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27Do you think it is fair to say that you being a Land Girl,
0:04:27 > 0:04:29when you were 17, shaped the rest of your life?
0:04:29 > 0:04:33Oh, I think it had something to do with it, yes, definitely.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36- In what way?- Well, it made me more independent, I grew up faster.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39It was while Jean was working as a Land Girl
0:04:39 > 0:04:43that she met her future husband, an American soldier, in a local pub.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48He said to my mother, "Who's the blonde in the corner?"
0:04:48 > 0:04:50And she poked him on the shoulder like that,
0:04:50 > 0:04:53and she said, "You stay away from her."
0:04:53 > 0:04:54- He didn't listen, though, did he? - No.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59Jean's husband was a paratrooper with
0:04:59 > 0:05:02the American 82nd Airborne Division.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04He parachuted into Normandy on D-Day
0:05:04 > 0:05:07and helped liberate a Nazi concentration camp.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11The role he played in the war and the things he saw
0:05:11 > 0:05:13had a profound effect on him.
0:05:14 > 0:05:18- Would you say war changed your dad? - Yes, very much.
0:05:18 > 0:05:24Like many men who saw a tremendous amount of action,
0:05:24 > 0:05:27he came home with what we would now understand
0:05:27 > 0:05:29- is post-traumatic stress disorder. - Right.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32But we didn't understand those things in those days,
0:05:32 > 0:05:36whereas today, we do a great deal more.
0:05:37 > 0:05:41Like many, Brenda's father suffered in silence for decades
0:05:41 > 0:05:45because of the shame and stigma that surrounded the disorder then.
0:05:45 > 0:05:50His condition had a massive impact on Jean and Brenda's family life.
0:05:50 > 0:05:52It's their experience of living with this condition
0:05:52 > 0:05:55that's driving them to want to give something back today.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00You've decided that you want to help someone in a similar situation,
0:06:00 > 0:06:03the situation that you found yourself in.
0:06:03 > 0:06:07Yes, I'd like to think that we can do better for them today
0:06:07 > 0:06:11than we were able to do for our men returning from World War II.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14To focus the mind on what you want to give back, I think, first of all,
0:06:14 > 0:06:16we need to go back.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20- Are you up for this? - Absolutely.- OK.- Great.
0:06:20 > 0:06:21Come on, then. Let's go.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28We're going to take the ladies on a trip down memory lane.
0:06:28 > 0:06:30I'm hoping it will remind Jean of her past
0:06:30 > 0:06:32and help them both make a big decision
0:06:32 > 0:06:35about how they might be able to help someone today.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43So, have you got any idea where we're going off to now?
0:06:43 > 0:06:45No, not a clue!
0:06:45 > 0:06:47- Well I'm going to take you back, aren't I?- OK.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49So...there's a big clue there.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51JEAN LAUGHS
0:06:56 > 0:06:58We're heading to the village of Kinoulton,
0:06:58 > 0:07:00a spot that Jean knew well as a teenager.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05In World War II, she worked the fields around here
0:07:05 > 0:07:07as part of the Women's Land Army.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11With enemy submarines stopping food supplies
0:07:11 > 0:07:13getting through to Britain,
0:07:13 > 0:07:15Jean and thousands of young women like her
0:07:15 > 0:07:18were fighting a battle to feed the nation.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21And how many hours would you reckon you'd be working?
0:07:21 > 0:07:25Well, we'd leave the hostel at 7.30 in the morning.
0:07:25 > 0:07:27We biked everywhere.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30Our day was over at five, but then you had to bike home.
0:07:32 > 0:07:33Yes, it was very tiring work.
0:07:33 > 0:07:37What was the toughest bit about being a Land Girl?
0:07:37 > 0:07:40- The work. The threshing machines. - Oh, really?
0:07:40 > 0:07:44- Oh, those threshing machines were awful.- How come?
0:07:44 > 0:07:49Very dirty, extremely dirty, besides being hard work.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52And how were some of the farmers on the farms that you worked with?
0:07:52 > 0:07:53Were they tough?
0:07:53 > 0:07:56- Some of them are all right and some of them weren't.- Right.
0:07:56 > 0:08:00Some of them treated us very nice, and their wives invited us
0:08:00 > 0:08:03into their kitchen so we could have our lunch there.
0:08:03 > 0:08:07Most of them...we had to go into the barn
0:08:07 > 0:08:10and sit on a bale of hay and eat our sandwich there.
0:08:10 > 0:08:12We weren't invited into the house.
0:08:14 > 0:08:16A Land Girl's life could be tough,
0:08:16 > 0:08:18but their work was vital to the war effort.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21By 1943, the Women's Land Army was producing
0:08:21 > 0:08:24around 70% of the nation's food.
0:08:26 > 0:08:27In return, Land Girls, like Jean,
0:08:27 > 0:08:31were rewarded with a weekly wage of 30 shillings.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35After labouring all day in the fields,
0:08:35 > 0:08:39they relished any opportunity for rest and recreation.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41Was there a good spirit of camaraderie?
0:08:41 > 0:08:42Oh, yes, we had a lot of fun.
0:08:42 > 0:08:47There was an RAF station not too far away,
0:08:47 > 0:08:49and I volunteered,
0:08:49 > 0:08:52and I got on my bike and I biked to this RAF station
0:08:52 > 0:08:56- and I invited the boys to come and have a dance with us.- Oh, OK.
0:08:56 > 0:08:57And they did.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00They came, and we had an evening of dance,
0:09:00 > 0:09:02and I was also in charge of the Record Club.
0:09:02 > 0:09:06I used to take a shilling from each one of the girls,
0:09:06 > 0:09:09go into town and buy a record with it.
0:09:09 > 0:09:10How fantastic.
0:09:10 > 0:09:15I enjoyed the Land Army. I was young. I had no ties.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19War has had a big impact on Jean's family,
0:09:19 > 0:09:22and that's driving them to want to help someone today.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27We've arrived at our destination, but what will Jean make of it?
0:09:30 > 0:09:32So, we're in the village of Kinoulton.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34- Oh, no!- Yeah.
0:09:34 > 0:09:36- This is Kinoulton?- Yeah.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43The last time Jean was here, she was a teenage Land Girl.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47Could revisiting her past inspire her and Brenda
0:09:47 > 0:09:50to make a big difference to someone's life today?
0:09:50 > 0:09:52- Do you know why I've brought you here?- No.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55This was one of the fields that you will have worked on
0:09:55 > 0:09:57when you were a Land Girl.
0:09:57 > 0:10:01- How many years ago?- 70.- 73.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04Amazing to think that your mum will have been out there
0:10:04 > 0:10:07- working as a 17-year-old. - Yeah!- Absolutely.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09How do you feel being back here?
0:10:09 > 0:10:13I have nice memories of the Land Army, I do.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16This is lovely. This is absolutely lovely.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19So what sort of jobs would you have had out here?
0:10:19 > 0:10:20What would you have done?
0:10:20 > 0:10:24Depending on what was in the field...potato picking.
0:10:24 > 0:10:25It was dirty work.
0:10:25 > 0:10:27You looked after the cows as well, though, didn't you?
0:10:27 > 0:10:29A little bit, yes.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32And you had to work in the bitter cold.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34The winters were...rough.
0:10:35 > 0:10:36They were, they were rough.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38But it made you the person you are today.
0:10:38 > 0:10:42- Oh, really(?)- I think so.
0:10:42 > 0:10:44Many farmers were sceptical at first
0:10:44 > 0:10:46that young women would be capable of the job,
0:10:46 > 0:10:48but they were soon proved wrong.
0:10:49 > 0:10:51Land Girls did everything on the farm,
0:10:51 > 0:10:55from driving tractors to catching rats and building haystacks.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59Just think, without you and the other girls,
0:10:59 > 0:11:01we wouldn't have survived.
0:11:01 > 0:11:03Well, you would have survived, I think,
0:11:03 > 0:11:05but it would have been very, very difficult
0:11:05 > 0:11:08because the Land Army girls did everything.
0:11:08 > 0:11:09You fed a nation.
0:11:09 > 0:11:11Yeah, well, we didn't think about it, what we were doing, Brenda,
0:11:11 > 0:11:13we just did it, like everybody else.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18Many Land Girls lived on the farms where they worked,
0:11:18 > 0:11:20which could be a lonely experience for a teenager
0:11:20 > 0:11:23away from home for the first time.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25Jean, however, was lucky enough to stay in a house
0:11:25 > 0:11:28with a group of fellow Land Girls.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31Well, listen, I might have another little surprise for you.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35- How did you used to get here? On your bike?- Yeah.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39- From where? - From the hostel where we lived.
0:11:39 > 0:11:43- You haven't been back there since? - No.
0:11:43 > 0:11:44I can take you back there now.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47- How do you feel about that? - Let's go!- OK!
0:11:50 > 0:11:54We're taking Jean back to the house where she stayed as a Land Girl.
0:11:54 > 0:11:56She may have known it as a hostel,
0:11:56 > 0:11:58but this 19th-century manor house
0:11:58 > 0:12:00is a cut above your average boarding-house.
0:12:02 > 0:12:06Jean hasn't set foot inside it for over 70 years.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11- This is where you were. - That's where I was.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14- And you haven't been back here all those years.- All those years.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16- What a lovely house, though, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19Mum, do you remember which floor you were on?
0:12:19 > 0:12:21Yes, the top floor. Ones with the small windows.
0:12:21 > 0:12:22Oh, the penthouse?
0:12:22 > 0:12:26- And how many girls were you with? - Usually about three to a bedroom.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28- Do you want to have a quick look inside?- Oh, I'd love to.
0:12:28 > 0:12:29Come on, then.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35Jean shared the manor house with a crew of 30 Land Girls.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38Many lifelong friendships were forged here.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41For Jean, could returning here reignite
0:12:41 > 0:12:43long forgotten memories of old friends?
0:12:44 > 0:12:48- It's a bit different, now, I think.- Oh. Very.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53This looks more familiar. Yeah.
0:12:53 > 0:12:58- And who did you share with? - A lovely girl. Frieda.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01- She was your mate, was she? - Yeah. Oh, yeah, she was lovely.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04Is this where you all ate, Mum? Did you all eat together?
0:13:04 > 0:13:06We couldn't all eat together.
0:13:06 > 0:13:08It depended on who we were working for
0:13:08 > 0:13:10- and what time we got back to the hostel.- Right.
0:13:12 > 0:13:16The Land Girls worked a gruelling minimum 50-hour week,
0:13:16 > 0:13:18but at harvest and haymaking time,
0:13:18 > 0:13:23their working day could be as long as 16 hours - from dawn to dusk.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26For a city girl like Jean, this was a total culture shock.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28And she wasn't alone -
0:13:28 > 0:13:30over a third of Land Girls where young women
0:13:30 > 0:13:33from Britain's towns and cities.
0:13:33 > 0:13:37- So, are the memories flooding back? - Oh, yes.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39- That's the kitchen.- Yeah.
0:13:39 > 0:13:43- Yeah, this is familiar. - Oh, is it?- Yeah.
0:13:43 > 0:13:44- Oh, isn't it beautiful?- Yeah.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47There's a little pantry there, as well.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50- How are you feeling? - Good. Very good.
0:13:50 > 0:13:54I just wish my friend was with me. I wish Frieda was with me.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56I wish I was 18 again.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01When I walked up here, I could just imagine you on your bike,
0:14:01 > 0:14:03cycling up with that new record under your arm
0:14:03 > 0:14:05that you'd just been to the shops to buy.
0:14:05 > 0:14:07I bet they couldn't wait for you to get back
0:14:07 > 0:14:08so you could put that record.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11Oh, we used to get up and dance to the new tunes, you know?
0:14:11 > 0:14:14And what about for you, knowing where Mum was?
0:14:15 > 0:14:19I think it's such a great privilege to be able to come back
0:14:19 > 0:14:23and see a part of my mother's life so far before I was born.
0:14:23 > 0:14:25It's really very, very strange.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27- Like being put in a time machine, isn't it?- It is, yeah.
0:14:27 > 0:14:32I'm especially proud of Mum because she was a townie,
0:14:32 > 0:14:36and she came and she did a Land Army girl's job.
0:14:36 > 0:14:38JEAN LAUGHS
0:14:38 > 0:14:40- It's amazing, really.- It is amazing.
0:14:40 > 0:14:42And I don't think that I could've done it.
0:14:42 > 0:14:43I think one of the hardest things
0:14:43 > 0:14:45was getting up so early in the mornings -
0:14:45 > 0:14:46especially in the winter.
0:14:46 > 0:14:48You didn't mind in the summer.
0:14:48 > 0:14:50Has being here reinforced in you
0:14:50 > 0:14:52that feeling that you want to give something back?
0:14:52 > 0:14:54- Mm.- Yes, very much so.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58I have a great sense of, I suppose, gratitude
0:14:58 > 0:15:01for what my mother's generation went through.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04- Absolutely. - The sacrifices that they made.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07Those girls had to do a man's job,
0:15:07 > 0:15:11and I think it's too easy not to remember that.
0:15:11 > 0:15:15So I think it would be wonderful to be able to
0:15:15 > 0:15:18mark such a wonderful contribution
0:15:18 > 0:15:23by giving something back to someone else who needs it.
0:15:23 > 0:15:25It's a lovely, lovely sentiment.
0:15:26 > 0:15:28Going back to the house and fields
0:15:28 > 0:15:31where Jean lived and worked as a Land Girl
0:15:31 > 0:15:33has clearly had an impact on Brenda.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40Coming up, our team have been working hard,
0:15:40 > 0:15:42and we think we've found an inspiring young family
0:15:42 > 0:15:45whose life has also been affected by war
0:15:45 > 0:15:49and whose story could strike a chord with Jean and Brenda.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53They think we're making a programme about modern-day war veterans.
0:15:53 > 0:15:57They have no idea of the real reason behind Brenda and Jean's visit.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59- Hello.- Hello.
0:15:59 > 0:16:03Or that they could be in for a life-changing gift.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06The big question is, will they get on?
0:16:13 > 0:16:17But first, Jean and Brenda have one more place to visit.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22For years, their family life was dominated by the effects of war,
0:16:22 > 0:16:24in particular Jean's husband's struggles
0:16:24 > 0:16:27with post-traumatic stress disorder.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31So we've brought them to the National Memorial Arboretum
0:16:31 > 0:16:32in Staffordshire.
0:16:34 > 0:16:39This beautiful 150-acre site is a place of quiet remembrance.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45It's dedicated to the personal sacrifices
0:16:45 > 0:16:49made by members of Britain's military and civil services.
0:16:49 > 0:16:51What a peaceful place.
0:16:51 > 0:16:53It reminds me of where Dad is buried.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56Jean and Brenda have come to see a new memorial
0:16:56 > 0:16:58that should mean a great deal to them.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02I think this is you.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04Mum, this is the Women's Land Army memorial.
0:17:04 > 0:17:06- Oh, you're kidding.- No, look.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09In 2014, a memorial was erected here
0:17:09 > 0:17:13to honour the thousands of women who served as Land Girls.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16It was created thanks to the dedication and hard work of
0:17:16 > 0:17:19the Staffordshire Women's Food And Farming Union.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25They organised a three-year fundraising campaign
0:17:25 > 0:17:28which attracted over 1,000 public donations.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31We have arranged for Jean and Brenda to meet Eunice Finney
0:17:31 > 0:17:33who was one of those behind the campaign.
0:17:34 > 0:17:36Don't tell me you're a Land Army girl.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39- Lovely to see you in Staffordshire. - Lovely to meet you.
0:17:39 > 0:17:41- You've come all this way to see our memorial.- We have.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44- This is the uniform you used to wear, isn't it?- Yes.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47- Come on, let's have a look, then. - The trilby hat, yes.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50I think the uniform is brilliant. I think they looked beautiful in it.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53- Green is a good colour for me. - Yeah, yeah.
0:17:53 > 0:17:57I think the uniform was actually created
0:17:57 > 0:17:59to help them feel part of an army,
0:17:59 > 0:18:01- and you were part of an army.- Yeah.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04Because you did the work which needed to be done.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06You were the ones that manned the fields,
0:18:06 > 0:18:10did the work in the war years and fed the nation,
0:18:10 > 0:18:13and without you, we would've been in a very difficult situation.
0:18:13 > 0:18:14That's right.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17What wonderful words. I've never heard those before.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22For years, the hard work of Britain's Land Girls
0:18:22 > 0:18:24was too often overlooked.
0:18:24 > 0:18:28It wasn't until 2008 that their endeavours were finally recognised,
0:18:28 > 0:18:32and since then, 30,000 former Land Girls, including Jean,
0:18:32 > 0:18:34have been awarded a badge of honour
0:18:34 > 0:18:36commemorating their service to their country.
0:18:38 > 0:18:42- I finally got my badge. - Did you get your badge? Oh, right.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44Only a few days ago.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46- So many of them, like Mum, were townies.- Exactly.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48They were girls from the cities.
0:18:48 > 0:18:52They'd never ever seen a potato field or a threshing machine.
0:18:52 > 0:18:56But it was their way of giving something back to the war efforts.
0:18:56 > 0:18:58- I don't regret a day. Really.- OK.
0:18:58 > 0:19:00Because I was very young, and when you are young,
0:19:00 > 0:19:02you can take on a lot.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04- It's a very fitting memorial. - Thank you.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07- This is a beautiful memorial.- Yeah. - I like it very much.
0:19:09 > 0:19:11With the creation of this lasting tribute
0:19:11 > 0:19:13to the members of the Women's Land Army,
0:19:13 > 0:19:16their historical lack of recognition has been put right.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20But as well as the memorial, Eunice has something to show Jean
0:19:20 > 0:19:22that should spark a few memories.
0:19:22 > 0:19:26Some recruitment posters for the Women's Land Army.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29- I recognise... That's just the way we looked.- Yes.
0:19:29 > 0:19:31And this, you'll recognise as well.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34That was also a poster with the threshing machine.
0:19:34 > 0:19:38- With the Spitfire planes going over. - Going over the top.- Yes.
0:19:38 > 0:19:40They left me, one day, on my own in a field...
0:19:42 > 0:19:44I was scything,
0:19:44 > 0:19:47and a Spitfire came over,
0:19:47 > 0:19:49and they waved to me and I was waving back.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52And it was very nice, I enjoyed it.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55Did he tip his wings? Did he go around?
0:19:55 > 0:19:57Oh, yes, he did, he tipped his wings.
0:19:57 > 0:20:01Eunice also has a document that Jean hasn't laid eyes on
0:20:01 > 0:20:02for over 70 years.
0:20:02 > 0:20:04Jean, this is the pledge that you signed
0:20:04 > 0:20:06when you joined the Land Army.
0:20:06 > 0:20:10It says, "You are now a member of the Women's land Army.
0:20:10 > 0:20:12"You are pledged to hold yourself available
0:20:12 > 0:20:16"for service on the land for the period of the war.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19"You have made the home fields your battlefield.
0:20:19 > 0:20:23"Your country relies on your loyalty and welcomes your help."
0:20:23 > 0:20:25- CRYING:- Well, isn't that amazing?
0:20:25 > 0:20:27You made that pledge all those years ago.
0:20:27 > 0:20:32"I realise the national importance of the work which I have undertaken
0:20:32 > 0:20:34"and I will serve well and faithfully."
0:20:34 > 0:20:36And you had to sign that.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39That's why we built this statue - to recognise what you all did.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42It's a beautiful statue, it really is.
0:20:42 > 0:20:47- I'm very proud of my mother, and... - Oh...- I am, Mum! I am.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51When I think of everything that you did and everyone else did
0:20:51 > 0:20:57for the war, made so many sacrifices and contributed so much,
0:20:57 > 0:21:03and I think it would be nice for us to give back in our own way.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06- To someone else.- Yes.
0:21:06 > 0:21:10And in a way it's like a form of closure, isn't it?
0:21:10 > 0:21:12We've come full circle.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16Jean and Brenda have been deeply moved by all they have seen
0:21:16 > 0:21:18and heard here today.
0:21:18 > 0:21:20The public recognition of Jean's wartime service
0:21:20 > 0:21:24has inspired them both to want to help someone else.
0:21:26 > 0:21:30This journey into the past has sparked some powerful memories.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33I just wish my friend was with me. I wish I was 18 again!
0:21:35 > 0:21:39Along the way, Jean and Brenda have been brave enough to share
0:21:39 > 0:21:43their experience of living with the psychological effects of war.
0:21:43 > 0:21:47Like many men, he came home with what we would now understand
0:21:47 > 0:21:49as post-traumatic stress disorder.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54But it has also helped focus their minds on what they want to do.
0:21:54 > 0:22:00I think it would be wonderful to be able to mark such a wonderful
0:22:00 > 0:22:06contribution by giving something back to someone else who needs it.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14What an experience this has been for Jean and her daughter Brenda.
0:22:14 > 0:22:18It's obvious Brenda is so proud of Mum's resilience during those
0:22:18 > 0:22:21wartime years. When the war was over, well,
0:22:21 > 0:22:25that resilience was vital because the family faced another battle,
0:22:25 > 0:22:28with Jean's husband's post-traumatic stress disorder.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31It is the family's experience of war that is driving them to want
0:22:31 > 0:22:33to help somebody else today.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35Of course, there are many people who could benefit from their
0:22:35 > 0:22:39generosity but we think we have found somebody whose story
0:22:39 > 0:22:40will surely resonate with them.
0:22:45 > 0:22:49In Poole, near Bournemouth, live Carl and Jenny
0:22:49 > 0:22:50and their three girls -
0:22:50 > 0:22:53Scarlet, six, Poppy, two,
0:22:53 > 0:22:58and Holly, who is just ten weeks old.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01Carl is a war veteran who served with the British Army in
0:23:01 > 0:23:03Bosnia and Kosovo in the 1990s.
0:23:03 > 0:23:08He left the Army and 2001 but has only recently been diagnosed
0:23:08 > 0:23:12with post-traumatic stress disorder.
0:23:12 > 0:23:14Just like Jean and Brenda,
0:23:14 > 0:23:17the whole family has had to struggle with the effects of PTSD.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23Given these parallels, we have arranged for them to meet.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27Jenny thinks that Jean and Brenda are making
0:23:27 > 0:23:29a programme about war veterans and has
0:23:29 > 0:23:32no idea the family may be in for a life-changing gift.
0:23:34 > 0:23:38But because unexpected events can cause anxiety for
0:23:38 > 0:23:40post-traumatic stress sufferers,
0:23:40 > 0:23:43we've taken the unusual step of letting Carl
0:23:43 > 0:23:47in on Jean and Brenda's secret mission to give something back.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50He's promised not to breathe a word to Jenny and the girls.
0:23:51 > 0:23:55We think they have a story which resonates very much with us and
0:23:55 > 0:23:59we're hoping very much that we can help them and give something back.
0:23:59 > 0:24:03We've asked Carl to find an excuse to be out of the house when we
0:24:03 > 0:24:07arrive, to give Jean and Brenda a chance to talk to Jenny about
0:24:07 > 0:24:09her experience of living with PTSD.
0:24:09 > 0:24:13- Hello!- Hello!- I'm Brenda and this is my mum, Jean.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16- Hi, Jean.- Pleased to meet you.
0:24:16 > 0:24:18This is Scarlet and this is Poppy.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21What lovely names, Scarlet and Poppy.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26This is a hugely important meeting for Jean and Brenda.
0:24:26 > 0:24:30They want to hear how PTSD has affected Jenny and her family,
0:24:30 > 0:24:33just as it did with their own family.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36It's really quite special and delightful for us to be here.
0:24:36 > 0:24:40Your story and Carl's story really touched us.
0:24:41 > 0:24:45We've been through similar things and wanted to know, really,
0:24:45 > 0:24:48how has it been for you?
0:24:48 > 0:24:51Carl was diagnosed in March last year
0:24:51 > 0:24:55with post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59That was sort of a godsend, really,
0:24:59 > 0:25:04because that gave us the answers to behaviours and mannerisms
0:25:04 > 0:25:08and things that we just didn't know what was going on.
0:25:08 > 0:25:14He was in the Army for six years, so in some quite horrendous places.
0:25:14 > 0:25:20- It was very trying for him. - Yes, well, we can relate to that.
0:25:20 > 0:25:24My dad came home from World War II with...
0:25:24 > 0:25:27probably post-traumatic stress disorder but, of course,
0:25:27 > 0:25:29they didn't have a name for it in those days.
0:25:30 > 0:25:33Today we have a far better understanding of how the
0:25:33 > 0:25:36trauma of war can affect soldiers like Carl.
0:25:36 > 0:25:40They can find themselves reliving the events they experienced
0:25:40 > 0:25:42over and over in their minds.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46Even when safe, they can feel threatened,
0:25:46 > 0:25:50leaving them irritable, angry and unable to relax or sleep.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54What sort of behaviours does Carl have that make it difficult
0:25:54 > 0:25:56within the family unit?
0:25:56 > 0:25:57It started off,
0:25:57 > 0:25:59obviously he would have nightmares and things but as our
0:25:59 > 0:26:02relationship progressed and I was pregnant,
0:26:02 > 0:26:05they started becoming more and more vivid.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09He does get very sort of aggressive, very angry.
0:26:09 > 0:26:13We don't have any physical abuse or anything like that.
0:26:13 > 0:26:17You can look at him and you can see his body, his face,
0:26:17 > 0:26:19everything but in his eyes you can see
0:26:19 > 0:26:21he has gone somewhere completely different.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24It's not all the time, it sort of comes and goes.
0:26:24 > 0:26:25I call them episodes.
0:26:25 > 0:26:29Yes. I think that's a good way to describe them, really.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32- It is like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. - Exactly.
0:26:32 > 0:26:38My dad, he manifested his PTSD primarily through anger.
0:26:38 > 0:26:42When his temper went, he couldn't control it.
0:26:42 > 0:26:48There were times when living with this problem was terrifying,
0:26:48 > 0:26:52- from a child's point of view. - He was not the man I married.
0:26:52 > 0:26:56It's like having two people, isn't it? Two different people.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58It certainly is.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02Carl's post-traumatic stress disorder is rooted in his
0:27:02 > 0:27:05military service in Bosnia and Kosovo.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09Those conflicts, which were notorious for their war crimes,
0:27:09 > 0:27:11had a terrible impact on him.
0:27:11 > 0:27:17Carl's PTSD went undiagnosed for almost ten years but, thankfully,
0:27:17 > 0:27:19he is now receiving treatment.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24When I first left, I was struggling quite badly.
0:27:24 > 0:27:28Nobody understood why I behaved like that.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32The emotional and practical support of his family have been
0:27:32 > 0:27:37absolutely crucial to him while he comes to terms with his condition.
0:27:37 > 0:27:40The last couple of months have been particularly tough and Carl
0:27:40 > 0:27:44has spent most of that time at his parents' house, 20 minutes away.
0:27:45 > 0:27:49When he feels very stressed and can't cope with things in life,
0:27:49 > 0:27:52he just turns up at the door with a bag in his hand.
0:27:52 > 0:27:58It helps keep family life stable for the kids and for my wife.
0:27:58 > 0:28:05It can be quite negative, my feelings and emotions.
0:28:06 > 0:28:11So...it just keeps them stable.
0:28:13 > 0:28:17Carl's time away from home helps minimise the impact of
0:28:17 > 0:28:21his condition on his family but it is still painful for all involved.
0:28:23 > 0:28:25It's still upsetting for everyone, isn't it,
0:28:25 > 0:28:28that I have to come and go like I do?
0:28:28 > 0:28:32But I think the children understand it, they cope very well, don't they?
0:28:32 > 0:28:37Yeah. Scarlet is very good, she's very understanding.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40Which is very good for a six-year-old.
0:28:40 > 0:28:43Poppy still refuses to kiss me goodbye,
0:28:43 > 0:28:47thinking that I won't leave if she doesn't kiss me.
0:28:47 > 0:28:50But you're dealing with it very well.
0:28:50 > 0:28:54As long as you remember to come home when you're feeling like you
0:28:54 > 0:28:55- can't cope.- Yeah.
0:28:55 > 0:28:59- It just makes it easier for Jenny and the children.- Mm-hm.
0:28:59 > 0:29:03The girls know the current situation is only temporary and can't
0:29:03 > 0:29:06wait to have their daddy back full-time.
0:29:06 > 0:29:09My daddy is awesome.
0:29:09 > 0:29:12I like Daddy because he takes us shopping.
0:29:13 > 0:29:19It's hard with him not being here, not being around with the
0:29:19 > 0:29:22kids because they miss him, obviously, terribly.
0:29:22 > 0:29:26We do understand, very much. We know how difficult it is.
0:29:26 > 0:29:32It is very difficult to be normal, relaxed and a happy family when
0:29:32 > 0:29:37- you're worried all the time as to what might trigger something.- Yes.
0:29:37 > 0:29:42There are good things to look forward to as well. I'm sure.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45We're finally starting to get somewhere now with
0:29:45 > 0:29:50treatments and help. It has been a very rocky road.
0:29:50 > 0:29:55He is going to have PTSD for the rest of his life,
0:29:55 > 0:29:57it's not going to go away.
0:29:57 > 0:30:02However, it can be managed, it can be controlled.
0:30:02 > 0:30:04Yes.
0:30:04 > 0:30:07He can be happy and we can be happy. We can have our life back.
0:30:07 > 0:30:10I am sure that you will, I'm sure that you will make it.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13- You'll be all right.- Absolutely. - You'll be all right.
0:30:15 > 0:30:18We've let Carl know that the coast is clear
0:30:18 > 0:30:19for him to make an appearance.
0:30:19 > 0:30:23Meeting new people can be an anxious experience for him.
0:30:24 > 0:30:28But he is willing to confront that anxiety in order to talk
0:30:28 > 0:30:32publicly about his post-traumatic stress disorder.
0:30:32 > 0:30:36We have just been chatting with Jenny and hearing all about your
0:30:36 > 0:30:41story which certainly resonates with Mum and her experiences with my dad.
0:30:41 > 0:30:46And the troubles that he came home with from World War II.
0:30:46 > 0:30:49Of course, in those days, they didn't understand what PTSD was.
0:30:49 > 0:30:55And thank God now we can not only put a name to it but we can begin
0:30:55 > 0:31:00a lot more to understand what it is, and how it manifests itself.
0:31:00 > 0:31:03A little bit of understanding goes a long way.
0:31:03 > 0:31:10I think it takes a lot of bravery and courage to ask for help
0:31:10 > 0:31:13and to seek help and to admit that there is...
0:31:13 > 0:31:15That was the hardest bit...
0:31:17 > 0:31:22..is admitting you do need help and asking for it.
0:31:22 > 0:31:25And have you noticed that there any particular things which
0:31:25 > 0:31:29trigger your bad episodes?
0:31:29 > 0:31:34I know to avoid places, people,
0:31:34 > 0:31:39any sudden loud noises.
0:31:39 > 0:31:43- I've become a bit of a recluse! - Yeah!
0:31:43 > 0:31:48- Do you find it difficult going out and socialising?- I don't go out.
0:31:48 > 0:31:50- You don't go out?- I don't go out.
0:31:50 > 0:31:54Now they have heard Carl and Jenny's story first-hand, Brenda and
0:31:54 > 0:31:58Jean are keen to explore how they might be able to help this family.
0:31:58 > 0:32:02Have you and the family been able to get away and have
0:32:02 > 0:32:07just time alone or have a holiday? Have you found that beneficial?
0:32:07 > 0:32:10- We've never been away, have we? - You've never been away as a family?
0:32:10 > 0:32:12No.
0:32:12 > 0:32:16The anxiety comes into it
0:32:16 > 0:32:20- and I get myself in a bit of a state, don't I?- Yeah.
0:32:20 > 0:32:26- So we don't go away. - It takes time.- It does indeed.
0:32:28 > 0:32:31Because of Carl's PTSD, he and Jenny weren't able to have
0:32:31 > 0:32:34a honeymoon when they got married earlier this year.
0:32:34 > 0:32:39But things are getting better and despite his anxiety, Carl is now
0:32:39 > 0:32:43keen to do whatever he can to thank Jenny for her years of support.
0:32:43 > 0:32:45You will get there. In fact, I know you will.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48But we have really enjoyed meeting both of you.
0:32:48 > 0:32:50It's been a pleasure meeting both of you.
0:32:50 > 0:32:54And meeting the children, and we'd like to say thank you ever so much.
0:32:54 > 0:32:58For having us in your lovely home. And allowing us to hear your story.
0:33:00 > 0:33:04Has Carl and Jenny's story struck a chord with Jean and Brenda?
0:33:04 > 0:33:08You are a hero. A hero and don't forget it.
0:33:08 > 0:33:12And will it galvanise them in their wish to give something back?
0:33:12 > 0:33:17Jenny's determination and her commitment to her husband and
0:33:17 > 0:33:20her family is exactly what Carl needs.
0:33:20 > 0:33:24Carl is a man of great courage.
0:33:24 > 0:33:28They are an absolutely delightful family, and Mum and I would
0:33:28 > 0:33:32like very much to try and help them in some way.
0:33:32 > 0:33:35It's clear that Jean and Brenda have been deeply affected by
0:33:35 > 0:33:38meeting Carl and Jenny and hearing their story.
0:33:39 > 0:33:43But before they make up their minds whether they can help them,
0:33:43 > 0:33:45they are going to discuss this important decision with
0:33:45 > 0:33:49another member of their family, Brenda's daughter Jamie.
0:33:50 > 0:33:52What have you been up to?
0:33:52 > 0:33:55We have been having a very interesting time of it,
0:33:55 > 0:33:57very exciting time.
0:33:57 > 0:34:00Grandmother has been on a journey.
0:34:00 > 0:34:04I've been amazed at all the little details that Grandmother
0:34:04 > 0:34:08has remembered, things that I have never heard before have come
0:34:08 > 0:34:11back to her while we have been on this journey.
0:34:11 > 0:34:15How is it for you, this whole thing, Grandmother? Was it emotional?
0:34:15 > 0:34:17At times, yes.
0:34:17 > 0:34:22We want to help this young couple, Carl and Jenny, whom we met.
0:34:22 > 0:34:25Lovely people and three young children.
0:34:25 > 0:34:27How come you particularly want to help this family?
0:34:27 > 0:34:33Jenny is going through many of the difficulties that Grandmother
0:34:33 > 0:34:36went through when Grandpa came home from the war.
0:34:36 > 0:34:38I guess she had three children as well.
0:34:38 > 0:34:41Grandmother had three young children.
0:34:41 > 0:34:43Because Grandpa changed a lot, didn't he,
0:34:43 > 0:34:44when he came home from the war?
0:34:44 > 0:34:48When Grandpa came home, he started drinking.
0:34:50 > 0:34:54- And...- And he was very unhappy for a while, wasn't he?
0:34:54 > 0:34:59Once he started that, then other problems followed.
0:34:59 > 0:35:03Yeah, I think returning to civilian life is extremely difficult
0:35:03 > 0:35:05for many of them.
0:35:05 > 0:35:09When these men going to foreign countries, like Afghanistan...
0:35:09 > 0:35:11And Bosnia.
0:35:11 > 0:35:15..and they expect these men to come back and pick up their lives as if
0:35:15 > 0:35:17nothing has happened.
0:35:17 > 0:35:21Yeah, we really connected with them and we wanted to do something
0:35:21 > 0:35:22for them.
0:35:22 > 0:35:26We wanted to contribute something that would in some way help
0:35:26 > 0:35:28them as a family.
0:35:28 > 0:35:31We wanted to know how you would feel because it involves us as
0:35:31 > 0:35:34a family connecting with another family.
0:35:34 > 0:35:38I think it's a wonderful idea. I am so proud that you have done this.
0:35:38 > 0:35:42I am really pleased to see that you feel the same way we do.
0:35:42 > 0:35:46It was important to Grandmother and I that we had you on board.
0:35:46 > 0:35:50- I think it's great that you've been on this journey as well.- Yes.
0:35:52 > 0:35:56It was very rewarding to me, it really was.
0:35:56 > 0:36:02Well, we don't know yet how we are going to help Jenny and Carl
0:36:02 > 0:36:07but I think if we all put our heads together then we'll come up
0:36:07 > 0:36:09with something.
0:36:10 > 0:36:13Having Jamie's support means a great deal to Jean and Brenda.
0:36:13 > 0:36:17Meeting Carl and Jenny has clearly revived memories of their own
0:36:17 > 0:36:20family's struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder.
0:36:20 > 0:36:24Jean and Brenda have gone back. Now it's time for them to go forward.
0:36:24 > 0:36:27It's up to them to decide what they can do to make a positive
0:36:27 > 0:36:30impact on the lives of Carl, Jenny and the girls.
0:36:41 > 0:36:45It's been a few weeks since I met up with Brenda and her wonderful
0:36:45 > 0:36:47mum Jean. What a character she is, eh?
0:36:47 > 0:36:50I know that in that time they have met up with Carl and his wife
0:36:50 > 0:36:53Jenny, who are obviously going through a tough time.
0:36:53 > 0:36:56But I wonder if it has reminded Brenda and Jean of their own
0:36:56 > 0:36:58father's struggle when he came back from war.
0:36:58 > 0:37:00Maybe it has focused their mind.
0:37:00 > 0:37:03Maybe they want to give something back and help this young family.
0:37:03 > 0:37:06There's only one way to find out, let's go and meet them.
0:37:06 > 0:37:10Jean and Brenda are waiting for me just around the corner from
0:37:10 > 0:37:13where Carl, Jenny and the girls are enjoying a picnic.
0:37:14 > 0:37:17It's time to find out exactly what they've decided.
0:37:19 > 0:37:23- Hello, you two. How are you?- Hello, Aled. We're fine.- Nice to see you.
0:37:23 > 0:37:26You have had a busy old time because you met up with Carl and Jenny.
0:37:26 > 0:37:28- Carl and Jenny.- How did it go?
0:37:28 > 0:37:31My heart just went out to them, really.
0:37:31 > 0:37:34I felt very emotional about it all because
0:37:34 > 0:37:36so much of what they are going through, obviously,
0:37:36 > 0:37:43relates very much to what Mum experienced and what I experienced.
0:37:43 > 0:37:46We do understand what they are going through, we've been there.
0:37:46 > 0:37:49We feel very much that we would like to help them.
0:37:49 > 0:37:52- They have made a huge impact on both of you.- Yes.- They certainly have.
0:37:52 > 0:37:54Do you think it has focused your mind to want to give
0:37:54 > 0:37:58- something back and help this young family?- Yes.- Very much.
0:37:58 > 0:38:01You can have a think about it if you like. She's like, "Yes!"
0:38:01 > 0:38:04- Mum and I have already talked about it.- Definitely.
0:38:04 > 0:38:07Have you decided how you're going to help them?
0:38:07 > 0:38:11Yes, we would very much like to give them a family holiday.
0:38:11 > 0:38:14- They've never had one and we think it's time.- What sort of holiday?
0:38:14 > 0:38:20Well, we'd like to, with the help of the British Legion, send them
0:38:20 > 0:38:25away for a week's holiday in a beautiful lodge in Wiltshire.
0:38:25 > 0:38:29They can relax in comfort, stress-free,
0:38:29 > 0:38:32beautiful surroundings and just really enjoy themselves.
0:38:32 > 0:38:36- Just what they need.- Exactly. - Gosh, that sounds amazing.
0:38:36 > 0:38:39- That's very generous of you. Have you got a letter for them?- I do.
0:38:39 > 0:38:43- Explaining it all?- I do.- There's no time like the present, I suppose.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46- Shall we go and surprise them? - We'd be delighted.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49I can't wait to see the look on their faces. Come on, let's go.
0:38:52 > 0:38:56Joining Carl, Jenny and the girls are family and friends,
0:38:56 > 0:38:57including Carl's mum and dad.
0:38:59 > 0:39:01This is Jean and Brenda's big moment,
0:39:01 > 0:39:04owning up to Jenny what they've really been up to.
0:39:04 > 0:39:08Neither she nor the girls have any idea what's about to happen.
0:39:08 > 0:39:12Carl, however, is in on the secret. Although his PTSD causes
0:39:12 > 0:39:15anxiety when visiting new places, he feels ready to take the
0:39:15 > 0:39:19plunge and he'd love to go on their first family holiday.
0:39:20 > 0:39:24Brenda and Jean's gift could have a big impact on their lives.
0:39:24 > 0:39:26Just how will they all react?
0:39:29 > 0:39:33Carl and Jenny are having a little picnic just behind this bush.
0:39:33 > 0:39:36They, of course, have no idea that we are coming. How do you feel?
0:39:36 > 0:39:40- I feel good.- I'm really nervous! - Oh, no, I feel good.
0:39:40 > 0:39:41They're just such a lovely family.
0:39:41 > 0:39:43Wonder what the kids are going to say.
0:39:43 > 0:39:48- Hi, Jenny.- Hello.- I'm Aled from the BBC. Nice to meet you.
0:39:48 > 0:39:51- Very nice to meet you. - Hi, Carl, you all right?
0:39:51 > 0:39:55You thought we were doing a programme about modern war veterans.
0:39:55 > 0:40:00- It's not the whole story. - We so enjoyed meeting you.
0:40:00 > 0:40:04And hearing your story meant so much to us.
0:40:04 > 0:40:08We really want to do something for you. I've written it all down.
0:40:09 > 0:40:11Will you read it out?
0:40:12 > 0:40:14"Dear Jenny and Carl,
0:40:14 > 0:40:17"it was a pleasure to meet both of you and your lovely family.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20"Mum and I enjoyed getting to know you and hearing your story,
0:40:20 > 0:40:24"many aspects of which resonate with our own lives.
0:40:24 > 0:40:27"Post-traumatic stress disorder has played such a big part in the
0:40:27 > 0:40:30"lives of so many soldiers returning from battle.
0:40:30 > 0:40:34"Having time alone as a family without the daily pressures
0:40:34 > 0:40:37"of your normal environment and challenges will help you to
0:40:37 > 0:40:39"keep things in perspective.
0:40:39 > 0:40:42"Mum and I would like to offer you a holiday, with the help of the
0:40:42 > 0:40:46"British Legion, a five-day break to a family park complete with
0:40:46 > 0:40:49"playgrounds and swimming pools for the children.
0:40:49 > 0:40:52"You will stay in a three-bedroom apartment with your own
0:40:52 > 0:40:54"private sauna and jet bath.
0:40:56 > 0:41:00"It would make us very happy to know that you will be able to
0:41:00 > 0:41:04"relax and enjoy the pleasures of family life having worked
0:41:04 > 0:41:05"so hard to make a family...
0:41:06 > 0:41:09"..despite everything that you have both been through.
0:41:11 > 0:41:14"Mum and I hope you will have a wonderful break that will
0:41:14 > 0:41:17"leave you with many happy memories.
0:41:17 > 0:41:20"Hopefully in time replacing the less happy ones, memories that in
0:41:20 > 0:41:22"years to come will carry you through
0:41:22 > 0:41:25"as you make this life journey together."
0:41:25 > 0:41:28- Thank you very much.- Thank you. - It is our privilege and honour.
0:41:28 > 0:41:31Are you all right? You'll set me off!
0:41:33 > 0:41:35- Do you need a hug?- Yeah, thanks.
0:41:36 > 0:41:39Oh, bless you. You're going to have a great time.
0:41:42 > 0:41:47- Thank you, thank you so much.- It is our pleasure. Truly our pleasure.
0:41:47 > 0:41:48Thank you.
0:41:50 > 0:41:56- And we are very proud to do it. - I think it went very, very well.
0:41:56 > 0:41:59Everything was flashing through my mind and I just realised,
0:41:59 > 0:42:03you know, what that man went through in the war.
0:42:03 > 0:42:05It was just lovely to see them together again.
0:42:06 > 0:42:08You served your country beautifully.
0:42:10 > 0:42:11We are proud of you.
0:42:13 > 0:42:17It's a really big thing for Jenny because they have never been
0:42:17 > 0:42:20away together and I don't think Jenny ever thought they would
0:42:20 > 0:42:23be able to go away together.
0:42:23 > 0:42:25I want to go in a giant swimming pool.
0:42:27 > 0:42:30I think it will be good for the children as well,
0:42:30 > 0:42:33they'll have their first-ever holiday.
0:42:33 > 0:42:36- They are going to be made up. - Yeah, they are.
0:42:36 > 0:42:39It's not something I ever thought we'd be doing.
0:42:42 > 0:42:43- I love you.- I love you.
0:42:57 > 0:43:01Well, a lovely family picnic was just made even better, wasn't it?
0:43:01 > 0:43:04Carl and Jenny have had a rough time and they've been through such a lot
0:43:04 > 0:43:07and Brenda and Jean, well, they could sympathise,
0:43:07 > 0:43:08they've been there too.
0:43:08 > 0:43:12So the couple who didn't even have a honeymoon are now off on their
0:43:12 > 0:43:14first family holiday together.
0:43:14 > 0:43:17I hope they have a fabulous time.