In Cerne Abbas Village Hall, Kettle Bridge Lane, Cerne Abbas at 7.30pm on Saturday 4th October, there will be a performance called Echoes of Combat in aid of Veterans mental health charity, Combat Stress.

Echoes of Combat is a selection of poetry, prose and music from the conflicts of the 20th and 21st centuries in which our armed forces have been engaged. It was the inspiration of Commander Geoff Hunt who lived in the village and was involved with Combat Stress for many years. He sadly died in August this year but his inspiration is being carried forward by people from the Cerne Abbas community.

Geoff Hunt was also a well-known accomplished marine artist and a framed limited edition print of one of his paintings will be raffled after the performance. Tickets for the evening at £10 (to include a glass of wine), are now on sale in the Cerne Abbas Village Stores and from the Box Office (The Warrens) at 7 Barton Farm, 01300 341518.

Combat Stress is the only charity specialising in the treatment of service-related mental illness and has unique capabilities in this field. Founded in May 1919, Combat Stress has supported almost 100,000 Veterans of every campaign that British Forces have been involved in since the First World War.

The charity currently has 3,634 ex-service men and women in its care, including 217 from the Iraq conflict and 38 from Afghanistan. The youngest veteran is only 20. Many are suffering from chronic conditions such as PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). To help them rebuild their lives, the charity provides a nationwide welfare operation, delivered locally through a network of regional welfare doficers, all ex-service men and women themselves.

Commodore Toby Elliott, the charity's Chief Executive said: "We are delighted that this event is going ahead as a fitting memorial to Commander Geoff Hunt."

For more information about the work of Combat Stress, visit the website www.combatstress.org.uk or write to Combat Stress, Tyrwhitt House, Oaklawn Road, Leatherhead, Surrey KT22 0BX, 01372 841600.