First "one-stop-shop" support hub for military veterans opens in Bristol
It's offering support from a range of charities, including welfare, clinical, physical and mental health
The first all-in-one support hub for military veterans has opened in Bristol.
It's been setup in a joined effort by a range of charities and the NHS, to offer support - from welfare, clinical, physical and mental health - to service leavers.
The move has been driven by the local team from Help for Heroes, in tandem with Op Courage, the veterans’ mental health service from the NHS, and Veterans UK, the Ministry of Defence’s dedicated support organisation for service personnel, veterans and their families.
Help for Heroes’ Case Manager, Larry Holmes, explained: “We have all come together to drive a better veterans’ community connection in the Bristol area.
“The plan is to have a one-stop shop with all the charities in one place, so veterans can come for a chat – and possibly a bacon butty and a cuppa – and for them to enquire about the available support in welfare, clinical, mental health, and sporting activities.”
The ‘hub’ will be open from 10am to 3pm, at Bedminster Cricket Club, in Clanage Rd, and a veteran volunteer will be on hand to "meet and greet at the door, to help break the ice as a starter in offering the veteran a good experience".
Speaking to Hits Radio at the launch, he told us the 'hub' will make it easier for veterans to find the support they need:
"There are a lot of veterans that finished their time and have settled in the South West, so we have a large veteran footprint here. What we're trying to achieve is to make it as easy for the veteran as we possibly can, for them to get the support they actually need.
Support is available for veterans of all ages and genders, and Larry Holmes emphasised that it's important for younger veterans to understand it's there for them too:
"People that have left service in the last 10 years they don't class themselves as a veteran. They don't class their injuries or condition as being something that they can get support from.
"The veteran criteria is anybody that has been paid for one day in the Armed Forces. That's a big window of opportunity for these youngers to come and get the support they require."
Government accused of "failing to support veterans in the region"
The hub opening comes amid criticism from the West of England Mayor that Government ministers are "failing to support military veterans in the region".
New figures indicate around 3,600 veterans in the South West could be reliant on Universal Credit during the cost of living crisis.
The Government admitted that around 33,800 veterans are currently in receipt of Universal Credit, but the released figures are drawn from an assessment of 45% of claimants, meaning "the true figure could be more than double that" - says Metro Mayor, Dan Norris.
There are 2 million veterans in the country, according to the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
In total, including the West of England, there are 103,427 working age veterans residing in the South West region.
Metro Mayor Dan Norris warned that the figures were the "tip of the iceberg", and could hide a wider problem affecting thousands who have served their country to “protect the freedoms that we enjoy today”.
Speaking to us at the hub opening in Bristol, Larry Holmes, who's a veteran himself, said the MoD could do more:
"We should never be disadvantaged by being a serviceman. We should hit the ground running when we've left and the support should be there.
"The system MoD take time and effort to train the civilian to become the military person. They do not take enough time to train the military person to become the civilian."
In 2019, the Government announced up to £6 million to fund more than 100 Armed Forces Champions in jobcentres. However, the Veterans Strategy Action Plan confirmed ministers were pushing ahead with plans for only 50 Armed Forces Champions.
Larry explained it can be a difficult situation to rely on Universal Credit after leaving the service:
"If you've got mental health problems, if you suffer from anxiety and depression, leaving the house is extremely difficult. Finding employment or holding down the job, is extremely difficult.
"Asking for benefits as a proud serviceman is extremely difficult, but sometimes the needs must."