National veterans’ charities, Launchpad and the Veterans’ Foundation, have agreed to form a strong partnership to support homeless veterans.

The Veterans’ Foundation will provide funding of £50,000 for the next three quarters, subject to quarterly reviews. This exceptional grant reflects the Trustees’ view that Launchpad meets particularly well the purpose for which the Veterans’ Foundation was established.

Launchpad provides safe, secure accommodation and other essential support to 80 veterans who are resident at any one time to help them make a successful transition to civilian life.

The Veterans’ Foundation 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 and operationally qualified seafarers who are in need. To date, it has given £4.6 million out in grants to approximately 275 organisations since inception in mid-2016. Most of the grants go to small-medium but very worthwhile charities, which are helping members of the Armed Forces community.

Since it was founded in 2013, Launchpad has supported almost 500 homeless veterans within two houses. Speke House in Liverpool is the city’s largest veterans’ accommodation facility providing en-suite bedsits and flats for up to 48 veterans while Avondale House in Newcastle upon Tyne, also the city’s largest veterans’ accommodation, comprises one-bedroom flats for 33 residents.

Around 85% of the veterans who arrive at Launchpad are homeless and are supported for up to two years (longer if necessary). They are referred to Launchpad through a network of UK military charities, local authorities and housing partners and for many, Launchpad is often the first safe place they’ve slept in for months, even years.

The generous donation of this significant grant will contribute towards helping homeless and unemployed veterans rebuild their lives, move on to live independently and in securing employment.

In a typical year, 69% of residents living at Launchpad successfully move on to settled accommodation and 42% leave in paid employment. This year, those numbers have fallen due to the Covid-19 pandemic, as employment opportunities are harder to find and recovery rates have slowed due to difficulties in getting veterans the support they need.

Major General David Shaw CEO of the Veterans’ Foundation, said:

“No veteran should find themselves homeless and I am a big advocate of encouraging more organisations, charities and the authorities, to support our homeless veterans who have put their lives on the line and served our country.

“Launchpad operates the largest veterans’ houses in Liverpool and Newcastle and continue to demonstrate that by providing sound accommodation and holistic support, and with cooperation between organisations, we can support our veterans to successfully transition to civilian life.

“These are unprecedented times for all charities and with the reduction of donations and fundraising income, it is difficult for them to continue to provide the excellent services they deliver. The Veterans’ Foundation has a rewarding partnership with Launchpad and we are looking forward to continuing to support them with this additional funding.”

Nicholas Tubbs, Chair of Launchpad, said:

“On behalf of our Trustees and staff, I would like to thank the Veterans’ Foundation for its continued support and this very kind donation.

“As a charity, Launchpad needs to raise at least £340,000 per year in donations and grants to contribute towards the costs of running both houses. That is a huge amount of money to find, particularly when people and organisations are already facing the challenges of recession.

“Our staff do a wonderful job working with and supporting our residents with really positive outcomes and this funding will make a big difference to supporting homeless veterans around the UK.”

Many residents living at Launchpad have mental health issues, ranging from anxiety to service and non-service-related PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder). Some need help with addictions to alcohol and drugs. However, over two-thirds of residents move on to long-term, settled accommodation and a more stable life. In a recent resident survey, all residents reported better wellbeing. 90% felt better prepared for civilian life and three quarters were more prepared for employment. 95% said we’d given them help they couldn’t get elsewhere.

Veteran residents living at Launchpad’s Avondale House in Newcastle-upon-Tyne are setting up a cycling club to help improve their mental health and wellbeing.

The Avondale House Cycle Club has been established to encourage residents to get outdoors and enjoy the benefits physical exercise brings but also improve their health, mental wellbeing and to reduce isolation.

The charity has secured funding via The Morrisons Foundation, which supports charities to make a positive difference in local communities. The total amount awarded to Launchpad was £9,100, which will be used to purchase five bikes and associated clothing and equipment, a cycle trailer and storage unit as well as tents, sleeping bags and camping equipment.

Regular meetings are held with residents to find out what they would like Launchpad to support them with and the overwhelming response was to create a cycle club.

Phil Thompson, Manager at Launchpad’s Avondale House which is located in Byker, said:

“We are really grateful to The Morrisons Foundation for this funding which will enable us to cover the costs of setting up a cycle club.

“Due to Covid-19, our residents have felt isolated with many having to shield. Peer support and exercise are vital to their recovery, but we have had to close indoor communal areas and the veterans have had to spend more time alone. This has had a significant effect on their mental health, even more so after going into a second national lockdown.

“Our residents are very enthusiastic about the cycle club and as well as regular outdoor fitness and exercise, they plan to use the equipment for challenges such as cycling the Coast2Coast.”

David Scott, Trustee of the Board at The Morrisons Foundation, said:

“We are absolutely delighted to be providing this grant to support Launchpad’s fantastic work. We know that cycling can have a range of benefits beyond physical health. Exercise has a vital role to play in keeping minds active, particularly at this time and we are therefore very proud that this project is now regularly available for veteran residents.”

Avondale House comprises 33 self-contained one-bedroom flats and residents are supported to help them make a successful transition from military to civilian life. Since 2013, the charity, which also has a house in Speke, Liverpool, has supported 490 veterans. In a typical year, 69% successfully move on to settled accommodation and 42% leave in paid employment.

This year, those numbers have fallen due to the Covid-19 pandemic, as employment opportunities are harder to find and recovery rates have slowed due to difficulties in getting veterans the support they need.

Launchpad’s Speke House in Liverpool has moved a step closer to employing a full-time mental health support specialist after receiving a second donation of £5,000.

Last week, we announced that £5,000 was donated by The Edward Gostling Foundation and now healthcare cash plan provider, Medicash has matched that by donating another £5,000.

Medicash has donated the money from its Foundation, which makes regular donations to health-related charities in the UK and has given away over £1 million in the last 10 years.

Due to the pandemic, veteran residents living at Speke House have not been able to access face-to-face mental health support which has been detrimental to their health and wellbeing.

Many of the residents living at Speke House have mental health issues, ranging from anxiety to service and non-service-related PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder). Some need help with addictions to alcohol and drugs.

Prior to Covid-19, residents accessed face-to-face mental health support from NHS service, Talk Liverpool, but since lockdown in March, waiting lists have increased and Talk Liverpool is now only offering support via telephone or video.

Sam Jackson, Manager of Launchpad’s Speke House said:

“Our residents have come from street-homeless backgrounds and have lived chaotic lives. The current arrangements are not working and residents have told us they need face-to-face support.

“We have seen a significant impact on our residents’ mental health as a result of the new arrangements and although our staff are available and do their best to support our residents, we do not have the specialist skills required to help them.”

Sanctuary Family Support from Liverpool, provide free, weekly confidential advice and one-to-one support to residents which is proving to be very effective however, only six of the current 42 residents living at the home can access the service to support them with addictions.

Employing a full-time mental health support specialist will benefit all residents living at the scheme and enable the charity to provide the one-to-one support they desperately need, but in a safe environment with social distancing measures observed.

Sam continued:

“Since Covid-19, our residents’ mental health has deteriorated. One resident with bi-polar disorder stopped receiving the face-to-face help he needed. As a result, his health worsened and unfortunately, he disappeared from Speke House in the middle of the lockdown and we have not heard from him since. Another resident experienced a significant breakdown and we had to involve crisis support. He is now recovering with our help, but only narrowly avoided being sectioned.”

Employing an experienced mental health support specialist will help residents with the outcomes they were achieving before lockdown and when face-to-face support stopped. The charity will replicate the model delivered by Sanctuary but to the benefit of all residents on a full-time basis. The specialist will complement the service delivered by Sanctuary, which will continue.

Sam continued:

“We are delighted that Medicash Foundation have also donated £5,000, on top of the donation we very kindly received from The Edward Gostling Foundation. We are trying to secure additional funding to be able to cover the full costs of this post and have started to advertise the position so we can bring someone is as soon as possible.”

Speke House is the city’s largest veterans’ accommodation facility providing safe, secure en-suite bedsits and flats for up to 48 veterans to help them stabilise their lives and make a successful transition from military to civilian life.

Since 2013, the charity, which also has a house in Byker, Newcastle upon Tyne, has supported 490 veterans. In a typical year, 67% successfully move on to settled accommodation and pre-pandemic, 42% leave in paid employment.

This year, those numbers have fallen due to the Covid-19 pandemic, as employment opportunities are harder to find and recovery rates have slowed due to difficulties in getting veterans the support they need.

With Liverpool being placed into further lockdown restrictions to control the spread of Covid-19, the impact these restrictions are having on the health and wellbeing of veteran residents living at Launchpad’s Speke House is detrimental.

Speke House is the city’s largest veterans’ accommodation facility providing safe, secure en-suite bedsits and flats for up to 48 veterans to help them stabilise their lives and make a successful transition from military to civilian life.

Many of the residents living at Speke House have mental health issues, ranging from anxiety to service and non-service-related PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder). Some need help with addictions to alcohol and drugs.

Prior to Covid-19, veterans could travel to receive face-to-face mental health and addiction support from providers such as Talk Liverpool and Addaction however, support has switched to online and over the telephone and staff have noticed deteriorating mental health and wellbeing, including heightened risk of suicide.

Launchpad has put plans in place to appoint a mental health support specialist who will work out of Speke House and support all veterans face-to-face in a safe environment with social distancing measures observed.

The Edward Gostling Foundation, based in Windsor has awarded Speke House £5,000 to contribute towards the salary costs of a mental health support specialist. The Foundation provides grants to charities to enhance the quality of life of people in need and has been awarded as part of their health & wellbeing theme, supporting community facilities to maintain, improve and enhance general welfare.

Sam Jackson, Manager of Launchpad’s Speke House said:

“We are really grateful to The Edward Gostling Foundation for this donation. Covid-19 has placed huge restrictions on support providers right across the city, including ourselves. We are now eight months into lockdown with even further restrictions announced last week.

“The impact this is having on our residents is affecting their mental health and wellbeing at a time when we should be supporting them. Our residents need face-to-face contact and support and those who are receiving online and telephone support have said they speak to a different person each time and there is no continuity of treatment.

“We have decided to put urgent measures in place to help and support our residents in the best way possible and the appointment of a dedicated mental health support specialist who is available on site and accessible to all residents, will immediately address their needs.”

Launchpad is approaching other funders and charities to contribute towards the salary of this position, which will be advertised this month.

Since 2013, the charity, which also has a house in Byker, Newcastle upon Tyne, has supported 490 veterans. In a typical year, 69% successfully move on to settled accommodation and 42% leave in paid employment.

This year, those numbers have fallen due to the Covid-19 pandemic, as employment opportunities are harder to find and recovery rates have slowed due to difficulties in getting veterans the support they need.

Ann Rees has been appointed as a Specialist Case Worker at Launchpad’s Avondale House in Newcastle.

She will be responsible for the veterans who are residents at the house to overcome mental health, gambling, drug and alcohol issues and to help them move onto stable and independent lives.

Ann will work 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.

Ann has almost 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 GaemCare 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.

Ann also worked as a Criminal Justice Custody Engagement Worker for Lifeline, CGL and Humankind working alongside the police, mental health team and the medical team offering support to clients who had been arrested and had been identified as having an addiction before working with an organisation in Northumberland as a Family Support Worker, working with families who have loved ones who have suffered from addictions.

Commenting on her role, Ann said: “I am delighted to have been appointed to this role and am really looking forward to supporting the veterans here at Avondale House and helping those who have personal issues, including addictions and mental health.

“I have gained a lot of experience working across many different roles and believe this will benefit the veterans, staff and many of the partners we work with.”

Phil Thompson, Manager at Avondale House, said: “I am really pleased to welcome Ann to the team. She brings with her a wealth of experience and I am sure our veterans will benefit from her knowledge, experience and expertise.

“Some of the residents living at Avondale House have mental health issues, ranging from anxiety to service and non-service-related PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder). Some need help with addictions to alcohol, drugs and gambling and Ann will be available to support those and to overcome their issues.”

Launchpad provides safe, secure accommodation and other essential support to homeless veterans in the UK to help them make a successful transition to civilian life.

Avondale House in Byker comprises 33 self-contained flats and since 2013, the charity, which also has a house in Liverpool, has supported 490 veterans. In a typical year, 69% successfully move on to settled accommodation and 42% leave in paid employment.

This year, those numbers have fallen due to the Covid-19 pandemic, as employment opportunities are harder to find and recovery rates have slowed due to difficulties in getting veterans the support they need.

A new railcard for military veterans was launched today (14 October 2020) offering the card holder and their companion a third off most travel and up to 60% discount for up to four children aged 5-15.

The new card will be valid on journeys taken from 5 November 2020 and is available to ex-servicemen and women of any age.

Veterans can choose between a physical card or a digital one which they can keep on their phones.

The new card will be available on most tickets where you will be eligible for discount off anytime, off-peak, super off-peak and advanced single and return tickets. Those travelling to London can also use the card on an Anytime Day Travelcard Zone 1-6 when bought as part of tickets to London.

The veterans railcard will launch on 5 November – costing £21 until 31 March 2021 – then £30 thereafter.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps presented the first ever veterans railcard to Captain Sir Tom Moore and said: “We have an eternal debt of honour to those who have served our country, and this railcard is part of marking our gratitude.

“For veterans looking to re-enter the world of work and connect with friends and family, it will cut the cost of travel to open up new opportunities.”

For more information, please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/news/captain-sir-tom-moore-presented-with-first-veterans-railcard