Every year, World Mental Health Day is held on 10 October and is a chance for people to talk about mental health in general, how we need to look after it, how important it is to talk about things and get help if you are struggling.

The theme for this year, as set by the World Federation for Mental Health, is ‘making mental health and wellbeing for all a global priority’ and we couldn’t agree more.

Of course, we don’t just raise awareness of mental health and wellbeing for one day on 10 October. Here at Launchpad, we are constantly raising awareness of the work we do to support the mental health issues of our residents.

Many of the residents living at Launchpad’s three houses in Newcastle, Liverpool and Durham present with mental health issues, ranging from anxiety to service and non-service-related PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder). Some need help with addictions such as gambling, alcohol and drugs.

We have specialist case workers at each house who are trained to help residents with their mental health and provide one-to-one support. We encourage residents to talk about problems and issues they are experiencing, and to take part in activities that support their mental health and wellbeing.

We work with lots of partners who specialise in providing mental health and wellbeing support such as Change Grow Live, Crisis Skylight, Project Nova, Op Courage, Talk Liverpool and The Life Rooms to name but a few. We are very grateful for their support and the work they provide to our residents.

We have also engaged with Northumbria and Sunderland Universities, where we invited Occupational Therapy students, as part of their degree courses, to undertake 6-10 week work placements at Avondale House and Hollyacre House. They worked with the veterans by involving them in several activities such as breakfast clubs, nature trail walks and baking and spending time engaging with them for chats, which they appreciated.

Mindfulness, arts projects, music lessons and outdoor sports and recreation are just some of the programme of activities we encourage residents at all three houses to participate and engage in to improve their mental health and wellbeing.

Examples of activities that have been organised include cycling, white water rafting, alpaca trekking, fishing, veterans’ breakfasts, walks, quiz and games nights, visits to the gym, day trips to various attractions, gardening and working in the allotment.

David Shaw, CEO and Founder of Launchpad, said:

“It is important to talk about mental health and it’s good that there are global campaigns such as World Mental Health Day and Mental Health Awareness Week, which helps to keep this important issue at the forefront of people’s minds.

 

“The mental health and wellbeing of our veterans is of utmost priority, and we encourage our residents, in an environment they are comfortable with, to talk about how they are feeling. Our specialist case workers and project co-ordinators play a very important role in engaging with residents to support them and encourage them to participate in activities to keep them active and positive. The feedback we get from the residents is really positive and they often comment that having a chat over a cuppa or participating in the activities and events are stimulating and good for their mental health.”

Veterans’ charity Launchpad has continued to invest and make improvements to one of its houses in Liverpool.

A small area in front of Speke House leading to the main entrance has been tarmacked providing car parking facilities, which will also accommodate disabled residents and visitors.

Improvements to the car park are part of a wider refurbishment programme of works that the charity has undertaken at the house, which has also seen the replacement of windows in communal areas, replacement of storage heaters, repairs to water heaters in residents’ flats, replacement of four fire doors, the upgrading of CCTV and an upgrade of security.

Launchpad purchased Speke House in 2014, which previously operated as an old people’s home and was in a poor state of repair. The aim was to make sure all 50 self-contained flats were habitable and functional however, the charity was unable to complete all the capital works needed until further funding became available.

The management team, working alongside residents, identified eight improvements they would like to make by December 2022. The car park was the penultimate improvement with the installation of carpets throughout all communal areas as the final piece of the jigsaw.

The new car park has not only improved the aesthetics of the front of the building but practically, it will hugely benefit residents living at the scheme and their visitors. Previously, the area was loosely surfaced and inaccessible for wheelchair users. One former resident, a wheelchair user who is an amputee, found it difficult to get from the door to his car without significant support.

Sam Jackson, Manager of Speke House, said:

“The house has undergone significant works since we took over and these improvements will benefit our existing and future residents.

 

“Almost 90% of the veterans who arrive at Launchpad are homeless so our aim is to provide them with a safe and comfortable environment and place they can call home. The communal areas are particularly important to our residents as this is where they meet other residents and provide peer support, which enhances their recovery so it is vitally important we invest and improve these areas.”

The house comprises 50 self-contained flats for veterans and Launchpad staff provide the necessary support, with the help of specialist providers, each veteran needs to help them to move on and live independently.

Over 60 athletes from all over the North of England, attended a weightlifting event last weekend to raise valuable funds for a charity that provides accommodation and support to homeless veterans.

Following the success of the inaugural event last year, Lifting Launchpad attracted some of the country’s finest children and adult weightlifters in their categories, who each competed for various trophies.

A total of £1,058.81 was collected, with funds raised from entry fees, a raffle and refreshments.

For the second year running, 3^rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery (3RHA), very kindly allowed the charity to host the competition on site in the gym at Albemarle Barracks in Newcastle.

The event was organised by staff from Launchpad, in collaboration with Northern Weightlifting and Regeneration specialists. RE:GEN Group kindly sponsored six of the trophies and arranged for engraving plates for all the winners.

Staff at Launchpad helped out on the day, loading up the weights on the bar for each competitor and presented medals to the competitors.

Sam Hughes, Assistant Manager – Projects at Launchpad, said:

“Following the success of last year’s event, we had a lot of really positive feedback and those who attended asked if we would hold another event this year. There are so many people I’d like to thank for helping to organise the event, which we now hope has firmly established itself in athletes’ calendars every year.

 

“The aim of the event is to bring athletes, clubs and coaches together in a fun, friendly environment to compete and to raise awareness and vital funds for Launchpad. Thank you to everyone who came and made the day a success and special thanks to Staff Sergeant Gary Stamp who worked tirelessly behind the scenes setting up and dismantling before and after the event.”

Also organising the event was Chris Baker of Northern Weightlifting who sponsored four trophies, all the medals and donated prizes for the raffle together with his brother Terry.

Commenting about the event, Chris said:

“Once again, it was a privilege to organise the event for the charity. This is a fun day out for the lifters to meet up and just enjoy the day in a relaxed atmosphere and raise money for a brilliant charity. I’d like to thank all the clubs and athletes for their continued support of this event and hopefully see you all in 2023.

 

“I’d also like to thank the technical officials, loaders and volunteers who helped out on the day. It was fun for me and my son Michael to step back on a platform for the day. It has been eight years since Michael picked a bar up, hopefully he gets the bug again. I retired in 2012 and have only lifted twice since then, but really enjoyed the day.”

The best lifter awards were presented to the following athletes:

Female categories

• U10 Girls – Emily Jackson, Hallam Barbells
• U10 Boys – Axl Travis, Triple X Weightlifting
• U12 Girls – Angelina Bychuk, Hallam Barbells
• Youth Women – Maddie Rodger, NTB
• Senior Women – Hannah Beaumont, Triple X Weightlifting
• Masters Women – Alison Crompton, Triple X Weightlifting

Male categories

• U12 Boys – Hayden Davies, Triple X Weightlifting
• U13 Boys – Oscar Smith, Hallam Barbells
• Youth Males – Frankie Williams, Barton
• Senior Males – Josh Hutton, NTB
• Masters Males – SSgt Gary Stamp, Army Weightlifting

Launchpad provides accommodation and support, with the help of specialist providers, to veterans who have found the transition from the military to civilian life difficult. The charity runs three houses – Avondale House in Newcastle and Hollyacre House in Durham and Speke House in Liverpool, supporting up to 100 veterans at any one time.

We are delighted to launch this year’s Christmas campaign, Lighting up Launchpad and we welcome donations to support our veterans.

For every £5,750 raised in voluntary income, we can support a veteran for 12 months, providing accommodation and an extensive range of support, with the help of specialist providers, to help each veteran on their journey to move on and live independently.

By making a donation, you can light up a flat in one our three houses in Newcastle, Liverpool and Durham.

Your donation will…

• support up to 101 veterans in three houses in Newcastle, Liverpool and Durham
• help us to provide quality accommodation for homeless veterans
• enable us to provide the support our veterans need to move on and live independently
• light up a flat within one of our three houses
• let our veterans know you are thinking of them this Christmas
• make our veterans feel valued, knowing that someone cares and they still matter
• acknowledge their dedication and service to our country.

To donate, please visit www.veteranslaunchpad.org.uk/campaigns/christmas

Launchpad is a veterans’ charity providing accommodation and support, with the help of specialist providers, to help them transition by stabilising their lives before settling down in a supportive community and with a job.

The charity has three houses in Liverpool, Newcastle and Durham, providing support for up to 101 veterans.

We’re looking for someone (part-time 25hrs) to run our Employment and Training programme at Speke House, on the south side of Liverpool. The ideal candidate will have good leadership and organisation skills who can motivate veterans. The salary is £25K pro rata and it comes with generous holidays.

A full job description is available to view here or please contact Sam Jackson, manager of Speke House on 07469 886 323, 0151 425 3886 or email [email protected]  

The deadline for entries is 1 November 2022. Please send a covering letter together with your CV.

A London-based accountancy firm is the latest company to support veterans’ charity Launchpad.

Artisan Accounts, based in Richmond has agreed to donate £50 to the charity for every new client it signs up over the next 12-months.

The practice, which was established ten years ago, supports start-up and established businesses for all their accountancy needs including strategic reviews, cashflow management and business planning.

The majority of their clients are from the creative sector such as film & video, design agencies and building design services and are ranked as a Gold partner with accountancy software company Xero. This is awarded to partners who maintain between 300 and 1,000 clients.

Alex Redmond from Artisan Accounts, said:

“We are really pleased to support Launchpad and their veterans. As part of our ESG strategy, we are keen to support charities that provide vital support to vulnerable people and our veterans should be recognised and supported for their dedication and commitment to serve their country.

 

“A few of our clients are veterans themselves and it felt there was natural synergy to support the excellent work that Launchpad provides. We will make a donation to the charity for every new client we sign up and I hope it will contribute to helping many of their residents to move on to live independently and live success lives.”

Launchpad provides accommodation and support for up to 101 veterans across three houses in Liverpool, Newcastle and Durham and helps residents who have found it difficult to transition from the military to civilian life.

For more information on Artisan Accounts, please call 020 8819 8762 or visit www.artisan-accounts.co.uk