Members of the Newcastle United Armed Forces Supporters Club (NUAFSC) visited Launchpad’s Avondale House in Newcastle this week to hand out Christmas presents to the veterans living there.

Slow cookers, grills, pots and pans, cutlery, carpets and other essential items and selection boxes were handed out to the veterans living at the house.

The NUAFSC nominated Launchpad as their chosen charity and all proceeds from the Tyne & Wear Remembrance match held in November against Sunderland AFC Armed Forces & Veterans Supporters Association were donated to the charity.

A cheque for £4,277.32 was presented to Launchpad at the end of the match and staff from Launchpad used the money to buy Christmas presents for all the residents living at both of the charity’s North East houses at Hollyacre House in Sacriston, County Durham and at Avondale House on the Byker Estate in Newcastle.

Launchpad’s residents met members of the NUAFSC and were also treated to a Christmas buffet.

The house comprises 33 self-contained one-bedroom flats for former serving personnel and their partners. The charity has three houses in the North of England in Newcastle, Liverpool and Durham providing accommodation for 98 homeless veterans – accepting veterans from all over the UK.

Phil Thompson, Manager of Launchpad’s Avondale House said:

“Christmas can be a difficult time of the year for some of our residents who don’t have any family so being able to give them some Christmas presents is a very special moment.

 

“We are very grateful to the NUAFSC for nominating Launchpad as their chosen charity this year and for generating these funds which has a huge impact on our residents. To be able to use that money to buy the residents Christmas presents but also invite some of the members of the NUAFSC into the house to meet the residents is a special time. I’d also like to say thank you to the Sunderland AFC Armed Forces & Veterans Supporters Association who were very supportive of Launchpad.”

Mick Warke, Founder and Chair from NUAFSC, said:

“It’s a real honour and privilege to support Launchpad and the Armed Forces Community to be able to see the difference our contribution makes to the residents at Avondale House.

 

“The NUAFSC is still in its infancy and this was our first charity event and we are delighted with how much we have raised. We are committed to continuing to support Launchpad and we will be organising other events next year. It’s been a combination of the events from the game and merchandise that has been able to raise that money and thank you to everyone who has contributed to purchasing the merchandise.

 

“We are organising another charity event in May 2025. This will be a Sleep Rough event in Durham and then members will march to St. James’ Park in Newcastle on the last game of the season.”

Veteran Neil Cummins has been a resident at Avondale House since May 2024 and served with the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. He said:

“It means a great deal to receive these presents. I’m not going to be with my family this Christmas and normally we have a big family meal. Getting this present has given me an uplift and it has lifted my spirits and given me hope for the future.”

Launchpad provides vital accommodation and support, with the help of specialist providers, to support homeless veterans who have fallen on hard times and have found the transition from military to civilian life difficult.

On behalf of our Trustees, staff and residents, we’d like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous 2025!

The City of Liverpool played host to the Royal Navy’s largest and newest aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, during its week-long visit to its affiliated city.

On Tuesday, Launchpad hosted a Veterans Networking Conference aboard HMS Prince of Wales. This event was coordinated by Launchpad’s Facilities Coordinator, Rob Lockyer, who served in the Royal Navy for over 42 years. Representatives from key organisations supporting veterans attended, including Tom Harrison House, Riverside, CE3 Enterprises, Beacon Counselling, the Royal British Legion (RBL), The Battle Back Centre, Veterans HQ, and NHS Op Courage.

The support and contribution of the organisations attending the day are invaluable to the service the team at Launchpad provide. Tom Harrison House offers a 12-week rehabilitation program and ongoing support for veterans while referring clients to Launchpad for additional assistance. Riverside manages referral teams for Op FORTITUDE, funded by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, which delivers centralised referral pathways into veteran-supported housing and works closely with Launchpad to ensure veterans are off the streets and housing vacancies are filled. CE3 Enterprises has provided vital IT literacy training to residents, with over 15 veterans completing the course and receiving a computer tablet upon graduation.

Other key contributors included:

Beacon Counselling: Currently equipping Launchpad staff with Level 2 Bet You Can Help and Battle the Odds training to enable them to further support veterans facing gambling addictions. This training will soon be extended to residents.

Royal British Legion (RBL): Mark Robinson, National Programmes & Partnership Lead, and Sarah Hulme, Manager of RBL’s Battle Back Centre in Lilleshall, together have facilitated residential courses at Battle Back for Launchpad veterans, offering outstanding mental health support and personal development resources.

Veterans HQ: Continues to support with general and housing support to veterans across Merseyside.

NHS Op Courage: Referring clients to Launchpad and supporting residents with cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), counselling, and addiction recovery services.

The conference provided an invaluable platform to discuss shared challenges and foster stronger collaboration for 2025. Attendees were treated to an exclusive tour of the ship led by Lt. Oliver Rich RN, Flight Deck Officer 2, who guided the group through the flight deck, bridge, and galleys named after Liverpool’s famous streets. The scale and sophistication of the ship left many in awe, serving as a humbling reminder of the Royal Navy’s capabilities.

Later that evening, Launchpad representatives joined 600 guests for the Regional Capability Demonstration in the ship’s aircraft hangar. The event showcased HMS Prince of Wales’s advanced systems and mission readiness, leaving a lasting impression. It also provided an opportunity for Launchpad to engage with supporters and businesses eager to learn about the charity’s mission and explore ways to get involved.

On Wednesday, the crew of HMS Prince of Wales extended their support onshore. Leading Air Engineering Technician Ryan Boase and AETs Matthew Green and Rory Miller volunteered their time at Launchpad’s Speke House, redecorating a flat for an incoming homeless veteran. Their efforts ensured a warm and welcoming environment for the new veteran, highlighting the importance of community involvement in helping veterans rebuild their lives.

Over the weekend, as HMS Prince of Wales prepared to welcome 10,000 visitors, Launchpad representatives set up at the cruise terminal to greet attendees and share information about their work. Despite interruptions from Storm Darragh on the Saturday, enthusiastic crowds on Sunday engaged with Launchpad’s team to learn how they could support veterans transitioning to civilian life.

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

“Launchpad is proud to have been part of HMS Prince of Wales’s visit to Liverpool, which demonstrated the strong affiliation between the Royal Navy and the city. This week-long event not only celebrated the ship’s role in serving and protecting but also highlighted the power of collaboration in supporting veterans.

 

“I’d like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the crew of HMS Prince of Wales and all participants for their ongoing commitment to helping those who have served.”

Launchpad was one of four charities to receive a generous donation from Durham Freemasons.

Phil Thompson, Manager of both Avondale House and Hollyacre House in the North East attended the Durham Armed Forces Network – Charity Walk Presentation evening held at Sanctuary Lodge in Durham.

On Saturday 8 June, 16 walkers set off on a 22-mile walk along the Durham Coastal Path, starting at the Military Museum show piece at the Heugh Gun Battery in Hartlepool, passing directly by the Tommy World War One Sculpture at Seaham and then on to the Sunderland War Memorial in Mowbray Park, Sunderland.

The walkers raised an incredible £10,000 and this was generously matched by Durham Freemasons Charity which means including Gift Aid, over £21,000 was raised and distributed to veterans charities in the North East.

Durham Freemasons has established an Armed Forces Committee (AFC) with the purpose of engaging with and enhancing the lives of the Armed Forces community across its Province.  Since its inception, the AFC were keen to organise a charitable event with the purpose of raising funds through the Durham Freemasons Charity specifically to support veterans charities.

Launchpad received a donation of £6,000 which was greatly received and will be used to purchase and install outdoor gym equipment and an awning at Hollyacre House for residents to stay active and to manage their mental health and wellbeing.

Phil Thompson said:

“We are very grateful to Durham Freemasons and the Durham Freemasons Charity for their generous donation and congratulate all the walkers who participated in the charity walk this summer. This money will be invested into installing outdoor gym equipment for our residents to use which will encourage them to be outdoors and exercise and help with their mental health and wellbeing.”

Housing support for UK veterans has been guaranteed after the government committed new additional funding for veterans’ homelessness support programmes.

Jill Murray, Chief Executive of Launchpad, said:

“This is fantastic news for our UK Armed Forces veterans who have experienced homelessness and we welcome this decision by the government to provide additional, much-needed funding, to be extended until 2026.

“Launchpad, alongside Healthier Heroes CIC, was selected as one of nine funded organisations to deliver the Op FORTITUDE programme, which aims to reduce veterans’ homelessness.

“Within the first 11-months of the programme, 259 homeless veterans were referred from Op FORTITUDE, which not only demonstrates the scale of veterans’ homelessness across the UK, but is also far more veterans than we can collectively accommodate across our four houses.

“However, we have seen the positive impact this programme has delivered to Launchpad’s veterans, with 187 previously homeless veterans benefitting, 71 successfully moving on to independent living and 63 securing employment.

“Myself and my staff are looking forward to continuing to work with the government to deliver the additional support and wraparound service for veterans at risk or those experiencing homelessness.”

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