Over 200 guests celebrated the work of homeless veterans’ charity Launchpad by attending a glittering Armed Forces’ Dinner on Thursday 9 October at Hilton Newcastle Gateshead, the largest attendance to date. The event showcased the support the charity provides to UK Armed Forces veterans who have experienced homelessness or struggled with the transition into civilian life.

Firstly, a huge thanks to our sponsors: Esh Group, Believe Housing, Northumbrian Water, Mode Rehabilitation and Pearson Engineering. The evening was hosted by Alfie Joey and opened with a stirring ten-minute performance from the Tyne Electric Engineers Association Pipes and Drums.

Keynote speaker Andy Reid MBE shared a powerful story of overcoming adversity after sustaining life-changing injuries in Afghanistan. His talk focused on goal setting and mental resilience, and was met with warmth from the room.

After a delicious three-course meal, the live auction began and the star lot did not disappoint. A genuine 1928 Tyne Bridge rivet, donated to Launchpad by event headline sponsor Esh Group, drew enthusiastic bids from the floor and from supporters who had submitted silent bids in advance. A big cheer followed when the hammer fell, with £1,000 being the winning bid.

Guests also heard from Launchpad Ambassador Dan Smith, a former Sergeant and Army Physical Training Instructor. Dan delivered an honest and inspiring speech on perseverance, self-belief and breaking through everyday barriers, reflecting on what our bodies and minds are capable of and the positive side of human nature.

The donations are still coming in, but over £21,000 was raised on the night and through ticket sales. This generosity will help Launchpad provide safe homes and the wraparound support that turns a fresh start into a future for veterans.

Jill Murray, CEO of Launchpad, said:
“It was a fabulous evening and wonderful to welc ome so many organisations and supporters. The pride in the room for our city and our veterans was clear to see. Thank you to everyone who attended, bid in the auction and cheered our speakers. Your support helps Launchpad provide safe homes and the wraparound help that turns a fresh start into a future.”

 

Esh Group served as headline sponsor for the event and kindly donated the Tyne Bridge rivet for the auction. Launchpad is grateful to all sponsors, prize donors and guests for their support.

Launchpad provides vital accommodation and tailored support to help veterans who have fallen on hard times and found the transition from military to civilian life difficult. The charity manages three houses in the North of England, accepting residents from across the UK.

The Veterans’ Foundation has awarded a grant totalling £170,000 to homeless veterans’ charity Launchpad to support the next phase of development for its Agenda for Change.

Launchpad will use the funding to cover salary costs for four staff as it embarks on its most significant period of transformational change to date, with the delivery of a new strategy and business plan.

Since August 2024, the charity under the leadership of Chief Executive Jill Murray, has developed an Agenda for Change, which has put in place an independent governance review and a new good governance framework. Four new Trustees were appointed to the Board in January along with good governance training for the Board and senior staff. A new risk management and assurance framework was put in place and a comprehensive business plan has been developed. The co-creation of a new five-year strategy with past and present Launchpad residents and staff, is currently under development which will ensure that the voice of our veterans lived experience is at the centre of it.

The Veterans’ Foundation is a long-standing supporter and funder to Launchpad and raises its money through the Veterans’ Lottery and donations. It awards grants to help fund charities that help serving and former members of the Armed Forces and their dependants, who are in need.

The funding will enable the charity, which manages three supported housing schemes in Newcastle, Durham and Liverpool providing self-contained apartments for 98 homeless veterans, to drive the charity forward to achieve improved performance and outcomes for Armed Forces veterans.

Demand for specialist veteran’s accommodation and services is increasing, with 361 homeless veterans’ approaching, or being referred to Launchpad in 2024 alone.

Launchpad was recently awarded £295,324 of government funding to continue to deliver the Reducing Veterans Homelessness Programme and will work alongside Op FORTITUDE, a government-backed UK wide referral pathway supporting homeless veterans or veterans at risk of homelessness into housing and will accommodate referrals.

It is expected that the charity will provide sustained support to a further 135 homeless veterans across all three of its houses until March 2026. Support will include combined addiction/mental health psychotherapy, intensive training/employment support, greater access to wellbeing enhancing community activities, and support to transition into and retain independent accommodation.

Jill Murray, Chief Executive at Launchpad, said:

“On behalf of our Trustees and staff, I would like to thank the Veterans’ Foundation and those who play the Veterans’ Lottery, for their continued support and this very kind grant.

 

“This funding will make a big difference to supporting homeless veterans around the UK and help us to deliver our ambitious Agenda for Change programme. The business transformation program has and will continue to make Launchpad stronger and most importantly, it will ensure that our residents are truly at the heart of our strategy and the key objectives which we strive to achieve as a homeless veterans charity.”

“It’s an honour to continue our support of Launchpad, which is a charity that changes and saves lives,” said Jane Gurney, Veterans’ Foundation CEO.

“The Agenda for Change programme will no doubt ensure that Launchpad will grow from strength to strength and allow the charity to open up its support network and high-quality accommodation to more homeless veterans in the UK.”

Launchpad provides vital accommodation and support to UK Armed Forces’ veterans to help them stabilise their lives and make a successful transition from military to civilian life. The houses often provide the first safe place in which the veteran has slept for months or even years.

Launchpad has received a grant worth £38,000 from the Lloyd’s Patriotic Fund to part-fund a Specialist Case Worker post at Avondale House in Newcastle.

Ann Rees joined the charity in 2020 and provides specialist one-to-one support to veterans living at the house, which provides self-contained, one-bedroom flats for up to 33 residents.

Ann supports residents to overcome and tackle mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, PTSD and addictions and helps them move onto stable and independent lives. She works with volunteers and partner organisations by encouraging those who need support to engage with the extensive range of agencies that provide expert relevant help.

Ann is one of two specialist case workers based at Avondale House in Byker and is often the first member of staff to greet the residents when they arrive off the streets or have been sofa surfing. She works alongside partners including Veterans at Ease, Plumber Court and Combat Stress to ensure they stabilise their lives and focus on their futures.

The grant will part-fund her role to support 90 veterans for the next two years. Lloyd’s Patriotic Fund was founded in 1803 and is one of the oldest military charities, uniting the Lloyd’s insurance market to support veterans and their families today. The fund partners with military charities such as Launchpad, who support veterans with mental health and employment needs of the UK Armed Forces’ community, focusing on improving the transition to civilian life.

Phil Thompson, Manager of Avondale House said:

“We are very grateful to Lloyd’s Patriotic Fund for awarding this grant to part-fund Ann’s role. Ann is a valuable member of staff within the house and is very highly regarded by all residents. She supports them [the residents] from the moment they arrive at the house until they leave and she builds a good rapport with them on their journey to moving on and living independently.”

 

Ann commented: “It’s wonderful news and I’m glad my work is recognised not only by residents and Launchpad, but our funding partners too. As a specialist case worker, my role is to support the residents from the moment they arrive, to develop a personal action plan to identify and understand their often-complex issues and needs and to link them to the myriad of external partners we work in partnership with.”

Prior to joining Launchpad, Ann accumulated over 18 years’ experience working in addictions across many roles including counselling and as a family support worker. She started her career as a counsellor at North East Council on Addictions (NECA) working with clients suffering from addictions and is also GamCare trained to support clients who had gambling addictions.

She then went on to work for a charity based in a GP surgery, counselling patients who suffer from life-limiting illness and then with an organisation offering counselling to adults who have suffered from sexual abuse as children.

Ed Butler, Chair of the Lloyd’s Patriotic Fund, says:

“We are delighted to be supporting Launchpad to part-fund a Specialist Case Worker post at Avondale House in Newcastle over the next two years. We were struck by the great work that Launchpad does for our veteran community across the country, especially when the demand for mental health support continues to grow. They have a great team working within the charity and our support will ensure that they can continue to deliver these vital services.”

Launchpad provides vital accommodation and support to UK Armed Forces’ veterans to help them stabilise their lives and make a successful transition from military to civilian life. Avondale House provides self-contained, one-bedroom flats for up to 33 residents and their partners and includes a communal lounge/kitchen area, IT suite and central courtyard and gardens for residents to relax.

The charity manages three houses in Newcastle, Durham and Liverpool and accepts veterans from all over the UK. It provides accommodation for 98 homeless veterans and their partners where relevant. The houses often provide the first safe place in which the veteran has slept for months or even years.

Demand for specialist veterans’ accommodation and services is increasing, with 361 homeless veterans approaching, or being referred to Launchpad in 2024 alone.

After months of intense training, a Northumberland veteran is all set and ready to embark on a gruelling 500KM solo paddle along the Hess River in the Northern Yukon, Canada.

Veteran Dan Smith, from Belford, will set off on his epic adventure next week with the prospect of navigating through the alpine wilderness across rapids with only remote back up for support.

If he succeeds, he’ll be the first person from the UK to achieve such a challenge but, as he sets off to fly out to Canada on Friday 11 July, he is filled with hope and anticipation.

The Hess is considered to be the most remote and challenging canoe-able whitewater rivers in Yukon and he will be faced with relentless wilderness, armed to fend for himself with only his canoe, bear spray, a shot gun to protect himself from apex predators and enough food and supplies to last him for the two-week trek.

Dan, an ambassador for homeless veterans’ charity Launchpad, is no stranger to setting himself personal challenges. In 2018 to mark the centenary of the end of the First World War, he kayaked solo the length of Britain. He successfully completed the 998-mile ‘Paddle of Britain’ challenge, setting off from the top of Scotland and paddled via inland waterways to the south coast of England in just 53 days, raising a staggering £27,000.

For this year’s challenge, he is raising awareness and £30,000, which will be split between two charities, Launchpad and Team Forces. Click here to access his page and place a donation.

Commenting on his challenge, Dan said:

“All the hard work is done now. It’s been challenging because I needed to train on rapids that would replicate what I’ll be faced with along the Hess River so most of my training has been up in Scotland, but I’ve managed.

 

“This challenge has always been a dream of mine and I can’t wait to get going. I’m physically and mentally prepared for what lies ahead and I know it’s going to be tough but, I’m ready. As a veteran, I wanted to give back to charities that are close to my heart and support those who are less fortunate and have struggled with the transition from the military to civilian life. When times get tough, which I’m sure they will, I’ll keep reminding myself of my purpose and why I’m actually doing this.”

When Dan arrives in Canada, he’ll be flown into Keele Lake deep in Yukon territory and at that point, he’ll have to fend on his own for two weeks. He’ll be documenting his journey with cameras.

He continued:

“I’ve always wanted to explore as a kid and I want to try and inspire others and the next generation to be outdoors and go on an adventure – it can be life changing. I hope this challenge demonstrates that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.”

Jill Murray, Chief Executive of Launchpad, said:

“Dan is about to embark on an incredible journey and I wish him a safe and successful trip. I’d like to thank him for raising awareness and funds for Launchpad, which will be reinvested into frontline services to enable us to continue to support our residents.

 

“For most residents who move into one of our houses and have been living on the streets or sofa surfing, they embark on their own individual journey’s and are faced with anticipation but, when they put their minds to it, they can get through it and move on to live independently in their own homes. I’m sure Dan will approach this challenge with a positive mindset and successfully complete what lies ahead.”

Launchpad is a homeless veterans charity providing vital accommodation and targeted support to UK Armed Forces’ veterans experiencing homelessness and unemployment.

The charity has three houses in the North of England, in Newcastle, Durham and Liverpool providing accommodation for up to 98 veterans who come from all over the UK.

The Minister for Veterans and People Al Carns DSO OBE MC MP visited homeless veteran’s charity Launchpad in Liverpool to announce £295,324 allocation of government funding to deliver the Reducing Veteran Homelessness Programme.

Minister Carns received a tour of Speke House and met staff and residents to hear firsthand the impact the programme has had on the veterans living at the scheme, which comprises 50 self-contained, one-bedroom flats.

As part of the overall £2.9 million funding allocated by the Office for Veterans’ Affairs last week, Launchpad will provide sustained support to a further 135 homeless veterans across all three of its houses until March 2026. Support will include combined addiction/mental health psychotherapy, intensive training/employment support, greater access to wellbeing enhancing community activities, and support to transition into and retain independent accommodation.

Launchpad works alongside Op FORTITUDE, a government backed UK wide referral pathway supporting homeless veterans or veterans at risk of homelessness into housing and will accommodate referrals.

The initial two-year £8.5 million programme was launched in 2023 to reduce veterans’ homelessness and Launchpad was selected as one of nine funded organisations to help deliver it by providing vital accommodation and wraparound services.

In the first 17-months of delivery, Launchpad successfully supported 202 homeless veterans with high-complex needs across all three of its houses in Newcastle, Liverpool and Durham. Last year, across all sources, the charity received 361 referrals accommodating 171 homeless veterans during the year – 27% more than two years ago.

In 2023/24, data by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) shows a 7.6% increase of households with a veteran assessed as being homeless, compared to the previous year. There was an 8% increase in all households assessed as being owed a homelessness duty over the same period.

Minister Al Carns, said:

“Every veteran deserves a safe place to call home after serving our country. I’m proud that our Reducing Veteran Homelessness Programme will enable Launchpad to support 135 more veterans in need.

 

“Successful organisations like Launchpad show what can be achieved through targeted support. They help to address the complex challenges that some veterans experience, improve their mental health and support them to move forward with their lives.

 

“This Government is committed to ensuring no veteran falls through the cracks. That’s why Op FORTITUDE will plug into our wider VALOUR system, where veterans can use a single service to improve access to bespoke housing, health and employment support. The Government is renewing the contract with those who have served.”

Jill Murray, Chief Executive of Launchpad, said:

“We welcome the government’s announcement to extend the Reducing Veteran Homelessness Programme and to continue to believe in Launchpad as one of their key delivery partners nationally.

 

“We have been overwhelmed with demand since the launch of the programme two years ago and are proud to have supported those homeless veterans’ who have been referred to us. It’s vitally important that specialised support to veterans continues and our outcomes support this.

 

“I’d like to thank Minister Carns for visiting Speke House to meet staff and residents and announce this extended funding. Thanks to ‘Reducing Veteran Homelessness’ funding and the increased support this enabled us to provide, 70% of our veterans successfully moved on to long-term accommodation. Despite their complex challenges, 37% of our veterans secured employment while 88% of our residents said they were able to deal better with their addictions and 89% said their mental health improved.

 

“My experienced team are ready to support those who need our help and assistance.”

In addition to providing vital accommodation across all three houses, the extended funding will:

• Include 40 weekly psychotherapy sessions across the three locations to help newly arrived veterans address their often-entrenched addictions and mental health problems, including PTSD, suicidal ideation, depression and anxiety.
• Delivery of an extensive programme of health-improvement activities to keep the veterans focussed on their recovery and avoid addiction relapse. This includes outdoor sports, peer-support activities, mindfulness and volunteering.
• Support with employment and training to help the veterans build their employment skills, undertake training, work experience and identify and apply for employment opportunities.
• Provide support to the veterans once they move on to live independently. Our dedicated Independent Living Co-ordinators will work alongside them to identify long-term housing opportunities and support them in their new accommodation to ensure they sustain their recovery and avoid a return to homelessness.

Launchpad is one of twelve companies that has secured a share of almost £4.5 million thanks to funding from the Office for Veterans’ Affairs’ Major Capital Grants programme.

The charity, which provides vital accommodation and targeted support to UK Armed Forces’ veterans who have struggled with their transition to civilian life, has been awarded £132,986 to increase the capacity of Hollyacre House in Sacriston, Durham.

The house has 15 self-contained flats and is at full capacity. This funding will create two new self-contained flats in unused attic space, increasing capacity to 17. The veterans can stay at the house for up to two years, with the average stay 12 months. Over a 25-year life-span, the new flats will benefit an additional 50 homeless veterans.

The Major Capital Grants programme is administered by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, and supports new build accommodation and significant refurbishment and extension of accommodation. The funding contributes to the Government’s ambition to reduce veteran homelessness and end rough sleeping.

Jill Murray, Chief Executive of Launchpad, said:

“This is wonderful news and I would like to thank the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust for awarding us with this grant which will create two additional flats at our house in Durham, thus taking two more homeless veterans off the streets.

 

“We have wanted to create the two new flats since taking ownership of the building in 2022 but have lacked funding. Demand for specialist veteran’s accommodation and services is increasing, with 361 homeless veterans’ approaching, or being referred to Launchpad (across all three of our houses) in 2024 alone.

 

“Work is expected to start on site later this year and I’m looking forward to seeing the completion of these much-needed flats for homeless veterans.”

Chief Executive of the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, Anna Wright, talks about the difference these grants can make:

“The Veterans’ Capital Housing Fund goes beyond providing shelter. These latest awards represent a package of support that begins with a home and ultimately enables veterans to start along a path to the life they want to live.”

Defence Secretary, John Healey MP, said:

“We owe a profound duty to veterans who have served our country. The Armed Forces sets most people up for success, but it is only right that where veterans need support, the Government steps up.

 

“Our announcement of nearly £4.5 million in grants through the Veteran Capital Housing Fund, on top of Op FORTITUDE, will help fix the postcode lottery of housing support. The scheme has already helped over 900 veterans into new homes, and we’re determined to build on its success.

 

“This Government is delivering on our Plan for Change by renewing the nation’s contract with those who serve.”

Launchpad manages three houses in Liverpool, Newcastle, and Durham and accepts veterans from all over the UK providing accommodation for 98 homeless veterans.