Everyone at Launchpad is deeply saddened to hear of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

We join the nation in mourning and our thoughts and condolences are with the entire Royal Family during this time.

Rest in peace your Majesty and thank you for your service.

New bedding and towels, toiletries, cutlery and tins and packets of food are just some of the essential items homeless veterans receive when they first move into their flats at Hollyacre House in Durham.

Funding for the packs has been granted by the Trustees of ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, that provides lifetime support to soldiers, veterans and their immediate families.

Around 90% of the veterans who arrive at Launchpad are homeless and turn up with nothing but the clothes on their backs, so the packs are a welcome boost to residents.

The charity provides vital accommodation and support for up to 100 veterans across three houses in the North of England and helps residents to transition from military to civilian life.

Launchpad acquired Hollyacre House in May and comprises 18 flats and communal facilities such as a lounge, kitchen, IT suite and gym. Residents are supported for up to two years (longer if necessary).

Phil Thompson, Manager of Hollyacre House in Durham, said:

“Every veteran who walks through that front door has different experiences and backgrounds however, most have been referred to Launchpad because they are homeless or sofa surfing and need a safe place to live.

 

“It can be very daunting for them, so we try to make them feel at ease and give them the best start possible to help them on their journey to transition to civilian life. Everyday items we take for granted mean a lot to our residents so we are very grateful to ABF The Soldiers’ Charity for continuing to support our charity and veterans.”

One resident commented,

“I wasn’t expecting to receive this much help and on-going support from the staff. I was given items such as toiletries, towels, bedding and kitchen supplies such as cutlery, a fridge, microwave and more. Having been given these items meant that I only had to worry about food shopping and paying for my own electric. It’s been completely stress free.”

Another resident said:

“From the day of moving in, I was surprised and delighted to see the amount of toiletries, bedding and towels. This was such a massive help and a weight off my shoulders. I couldn’t be more appreciative of what Launchpad and ABF The Soldiers’ Charity has done for myself.”

Brigadier (Ret’d) Peter Monteith, Chief of Staff at ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, added:

“We are always proud to support Launchpad and admire its award-winning work with Army veterans who find themselves homeless and vulnerable, and need specialist support. We are committed to helping all members of the Army family.”

Launchpad purchased Hollyacre Centre on Front Street, Sacriston from administrators, after Single Homeless: Action Initiative in Durham (SHAID) was placed into administration earlier this year, securing the future of eight veterans and saving four jobs.

A programme of activities designed to improve the mental health and wellbeing of veterans will continue to be provided over the next three years thanks to new funding.

Residents living at Launchpad’s Avondale House in Newcastle are encouraged to participate in activities such as mindfulness, arts and crafts projects, sports, gardening and volunteering to help divert them from previous unhealthy behaviours, build skills for employment and help them develop strong, supportive peer relationships.

In a survey with residents in 2022, 90% of residents agreed that the programme of events help to increase their skills while 95% said they felt better prepared to find long term housing and 85% felt they were more able to find a job or start training.

Their positive feedback is attributed to the work that is delivered by Sam Hughes, Assistant Manager (Projects) at Avondale House who started working for the charity in May 2020.

Now, thanks to funding from The Albert Gubay Charitable Foundation, salary costs and on-going costs for Sam’s role will be covered for the next three years – benefitting more than 120 veterans during this time.

Phil Thompson, Manager of Avondale House, said:

“We are very grateful to The Albert Gubay Charitable Foundation for providing this funding. As a charity, we need to secure income to cover salary and operating costs of the house, so grants such as this means we can continue to deliver the excellent support we provide for our residents.

 

“Since starting her role, Sam has developed a really positive relationship with all our residents who engage in the plethora of activities and projects she organises with our partners, which deliver positive results not only for our residents but the local community.

 

“We have weekly house meetings with residents to find out what activities they want to engage in that will help them with their physical mental health and wellbeing and we encourage residents to volunteer to build their confidence and employment skills. I’m looking forward to seeing how our residents benefit from this funding over the next few years.”

Cycling, fishing, boxing, gardening, llama walking, visiting the gym, cooking, photography, model making and creative writing are just some of the activities residents can regularly participate in at Avondale House.

The house on the Byker Estate in Newcastle comprises 33 self-contained flats and is the largest veterans’ accommodation in the City.

Two Sunderland University students have left a lasting impression on residents and staff at Launchpad’s Hollyacre House.

Year 3 students Amy Buckley and Charlotte Cooke have completed a six-week placement at the house as part of their three-year BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy (OT) degree course.

Amy and Charlotte worked with residents involving them in several activities such as breakfast club, nature trail walks and baking. They also spent time engaging with the residents for chats, which was appreciated by all.

Spending time at the house, which provides accommodation and support to veterans who have found the transition from the military to civilian life difficult, has provided them with a platform to work with veterans as part of their studies.

Commenting on her experience, Charlotte, said:

“Hollyacre House was an excellent venue for Amy and I to help us with our studies and we hope the residents got as much out of it as we did.”

The placement provides students with practical experience in a contemporary health and care environment.

Phil Thompson, Manager of Hollyacre House in Sacriston, Durham, said:

“It’s been great to have Amy and Charlotte on site working with our residents. They’ve been here from day one since we took over the management and ownership of the house in May and the impact they have had on residents has been really positive.

“We’ve welcomed students from other Universities to work with our residents at our other house in Newcastle which also provided positive outcomes. It’s really encouraging to see our residents gain confidence and engage in the activities they have organised and I hope they will continue with these activities long after Amy and Charlotte have left.”

An outdoor adventure and activities company in North Wales has pledged its support to veterans’ charity, Launchpad.

Bearded Men Adventures, based in Llangollen, provides accommodation, catering, adventure and activities such as white water rafting, coasteering, river tubing, mountaineering and paddleboarding.

The company has agreed to donate 1% of their annual income from activities to the charity.

The business, which was set up in 2018 by two friends (who just so happen to have bushy beards), Jason Rickwood and Hugh Luckock, caters for families, groups and individuals as well as schools, corporate businesses, stag and hen groups.

Passionate about giving back to good causes, both Jason and Hugh selected Launchpad as their chosen charity and said they admire the work that Launchpad provides to veterans.

Launchpad provides vital accommodation and support for up to 100 veterans across three houses in the North of England and helps residents to transition from military to civilian life. Bearded Men Adventures invited staff and residents from Launchpad’s Speke House in Liverpool to experience a day of outdoor adventure activities, which included white water rafting.

Jason, 36, a veteran himself, served 12 months with the Royal Engineers and most of his family have a connection with the Army including his two brothers and father. In addition to Bearded Men Adventures, he is also a Level 4 snowboarding instructor and teaches the Royal Navy snow board team during the winter months.

Hugh, 34, said:

“We’ve been going for four years now and despite Covid-19 having an impact on our business, we’re really starting to see the business taking off. Supporting veterans is a great thing to do and when we found out about what Launchpad does to support those veterans who may be struggling with the transition, we wanted to support them and be part of a charity that is doing positive things.”

Jan Buckley, acting activities co-ordinator at Launchpad’s Speke House who also attended the white water rafting day last week with seven residents, said:

“We are very grateful to Jason and Hugh to committing to supporting Launchpad. We had a great day out and all residents really enjoyed it. It has given everyone a boost and was good to see residents bonding together.

 

“Being outdoors and keeping active provides a positive and stimulating experience for our residents and is a good way for them to manage their mental health and wellbeing. Everyone who attended has been talking about it and commenting on how much fun they had.”

Bearded Men Adventures and Launchpad are exploring the possibility of a camping trip in September for residents. This will be a 2-day adventure activity programme led by Bearded Men Adventures and will include wild camping and bushcraft skills.

Launchpad’s Speke House includes 50 self-contained flats and communal areas such as a lounge, kitchen/dining area, IT suite and garden. Staff work with multiple partners to support each resident on their journey to living independently.

For more information on Bearded Men Adventures and their activities, please visit their website as: www.beardedmenadventures.com/outdoor-activities-north-wales/

Resident veterans living at Launchpad’s Hollyacre House in Durham are set to benefit from major investment and improvements that will increase the quality of living at the house.

Plans are being drawn up to look at how a shared flat can be converted into four individual self-contained flats, while landscaping to the rear of the building, the inclusion of a sensory garden, improvements to security and a lead support worker for the house are just some of the plans in the pipeline.

The charity, which provides vital accommodation and support for up to 100 veterans in three houses in the North of England, received a boost last week when The Mercers’ Company’s Church & Communities Committee agreed to award Launchpad £72,313 over two years from the Charity of Sir Richard Whittington, towards the costs of a lead support worker and upgrades to the security and CCTV at Hollyacre House.

Hollyacre House, based in Sacriston, County Durham is the charity’s third house and once all the works have been completed, will include 18 self-contained one-bedroom flats and communal facilities such as a lounge, kitchen and IT suite. The charity purchased Hollyacre Centre on Front Street, Sacriston from administrators, after Single Homeless: Action Initiative in Durham (SHAID) was placed into administration earlier this year, securing the future of eight veterans and saving four jobs.

Just two months since exchanging contracts with administrators, Launchpad is already making significant improvements around the house and this latest grant from the Charity of Sir Richard Whittington (of which The Mercers’ Company is sole Trustee) is a huge boost to the charity.

The Mercers’ Company is a livery company focused on being a philanthropic force for good. They have a rich history dating back to over 700 years with philanthropy as the common thread between their past, present and future.

Each year, they distribute up to £15 million to charitable causes focussed on young people and education, older people and housing and church and communities.

The role of a lead support worker is important as they work closely with the residents and will carry out in-depth assessments and help them develop a personal action plan to address their individual needs.

These are likely to include overcoming mental health problems, building employment skills / work experience, and developing independent living skills. They will also liaise with residents, staff, volunteers and partner organisations by encouraging those who need support to engage with the extensive range of agencies that provide expert relevant help.

Phil Thompson, Manager of Hollyacre House, said:

“The support we’ve received from partner organisations for our residents has been fantastic. Since we took on Hollyacre House in May, we’ve been spending time identifying what improvements need to be made around the house.

 

“This very generous grant from the Charity of Sir Richard Whittington is a huge boost and will enable us to fund a lead support worker who will work with the residents to help them on their journey to moving on independently and transforming back to civilian life. The installation of CCTV will also help our staff and residents feel safe and secure. We are very grateful for their support.

 

“We have made good progress talking to organisations about restructuring the large flat and the external garden area, making it more accessible for residents which will also help them with their mental health and wellbeing.”