The Big Lottery Fund has put £35m behind a new charity which will support and research the lives of military personnel who have left the forces.

The Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry has also pledged support for the new charity, Forces in Mind Trust, which launched yesterday at an event in London.

Forces in Mind is the result of a partnership between veterans organisations led by the Confederation of Service Charities and mental health organisations. The first task of the new charity will be to look at the experience of soldiers from military to civilian life. It will later commission research into issues affecting ex-service personnel with a view to influencing government policy. Around 20,000 people decide to leave the forces every year.

“The aim is to ensure that we are able to provide the evidence needed to deliver projects, either directly or in partnership with other charities and organisations, so that those undergoing transition have a positive outcome,” said the chair of the new trust, Air Vice-Marshal Tony Stables.

The £35m investment from BIG to start up Forces in Mind continues a strong recent history of investing in veterans’ organisations; BIG has made £88m worth of grants to such organisations since 2004.

The chief executive of the Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry, Nick Booth, said: “We hope the Foundation’s involvement and resources will further allow the Forces in Mind Trust to become a major new source of support and leadership in this incredibly important sector.”