Motorbikes put Birmingham veterans on the road to recovery

Wayne Thompson, Tim Seeley and David Brooks were among the veterans to take part

Working with a museum's vintage motorbike collection has been "an escape" for military veterans.

The four men spent six months with Birmingham Museums' vintage collection cleaning and researching the bikes.

They also helped to fully restore a 1914 Cyclone which is now on display at Birmingham's Thinktank museum.

David Brooks said having PTSD could be quite debilitating and that working with the museum had made a lot of difference.

"It's that positivity you get - after our weekly session I'll go home feeling I've done something good and will feel better for tomorrow and the day after," he said.

The restored 1914 Cyclone is to be displayed at Birmingham's Thinktank Museum

The project was a partnership with the Museums Trust, the Armed Forces Covenant and the Royal British Legion. Its success means the scheme will continue to run in 2022 to support more veterans.

Andrea Bonnell, from Birmingham Museums, said the scheme had been mutually beneficial.

"By using real objects from the city's collections, the veterans have benefitted from training in conservation, research and creative therapies which have all helped build confidence and motivation.

"In turn, they have supported Birmingham Museums and the work we do in looking after the city's collections."

Wayne Thompson said the scheme had been "an escape"

Ex-serviceman and volunteer Tim Seeley said the scheme was "amazing".

Without such programmes, "a lot of veterans wouldn't be able to socialise or get back into some sort of activity and out of a rut," he said.

Wayne Thompson also took part and said the work had been "an escape". "I feel happy afterwards," he said, adding the museums' collection had been "a welcoming and safe place" and he had "leant a lot".