Phil Thompson, Manager of our two houses in the North East, has been awarded the Armed Forces in the Community Award at this year’s Gateshead Awards.

The awards celebrate people and organisations that have had a positive impact on people living and working in Gateshead.

The Gateshead Awards are presented annually by the Mayor of Gateshead and there are ten categories including:

Voluntary Organisation of the year
Volunteer of the year
Carer of the year
Young Achiever of the year
Sports Club of the year
Musician/Music Group of the year
Maureen Chaplin Sports Achiever Award of the year
Armed Forces in the Community award
Business in the Community award
Tackling Climate Change

Phil enjoyed a visit and tour of Komatsu where he collected his award from Gemma Brotherton.

Thank you to Lisa McFadyen and Abigail Smith for nominating Phil.

We are delighted to announce that the Newcastle United Armed Forces Supporters Club (NUAFSC) has chosen Launchpad as their chosen charity.

The club is made up of serving and veteran members of the Royal Navy, Army, and RAF and was set up to make sure ex-service personnel did not feel isolated or alone.

It was founded in December 2023 by Army veteran Mickey Warke and now boasts more than 2,000 members.

A Facebook group has been created where members can arrange to get together and ‘share’ their love for the forces and Newcastle United.

Phil Thompson, Manager of Launchpad’s Avondale House met members of the group at the weekend where they shared stories and he told them more about the work we do to support homeless veterans.

He said: “We are very grateful to all members for choosing Launchpad as their charity partner and we look forward to working together in future. We are looking forward to supporting each other.”

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Jill Murray as our new Chief Executive Officer.

Jill commenced her role on 1 August after current CEO and Co-Founder, Major General David Shaw announced his decision to step down from the charity after serving for eleven years.

Jill is no stranger to Launchpad and was instrumental in helping to form the charity. In 2012, she had a vision to start a homeless veterans project and invited David Shaw and Ken McMillan to Byker to discuss her plans. With support from Newcastle City Council, she applied for and successfully secured £250,000 grant funding from the Armed Forces Community Covenant.

At this time, Jill was Chief Executive of Byker Community Trust (BCT) Housing Association, who owned the Grade II* Byker Estate in Newcastle upon Tyne, and her Board agreed to prioritise the refurbishment of Avondale House which was then a vacant sheltered housing accommodation scheme for older people. The plan was to refurbish the facility into a homeless veterans’ scheme for former serving military personnel who were struggling with the transition from the military to civilian life and to tackle veterans’ homelessness by helping to reduce the city council’s waiting list.

She brings with her over 40 years’ experience working within the housing sector including nine years as chief executive of BCT.

In 2022, she was elected as Vice-President of the CIH before becoming the President following CIH’s annual general meeting last year. As part of her presidential campaign, her ambition is to ensure housing is more widely recognised as a vital and valuable sector – linked with individual values such as professionalism and excellence.

Jill is also a Non-Exec Director of Tees, Esk and Wear Valley Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, where she chairs the People, Culture and Diversity Committee and is the NED Wellbeing Guardian. During the last year, Jill has worked alongside a Child Poverty Charity, Action For Children, to raise awareness and valuable funding to help support the most vulnerable children/young people and their families throughout the UK.

On joining Launchpad, she commented:

“Home is the place where everything begins, when you have a safe home, you then have a foundation and launchpad to build a fulfilling and successful life. This is why I’m delighted to be appointed the new CEO of this wonderful homeless charity, and especially because of my instrumental involvement in the initial setting up of the veterans housing project in Byker back in 2012. Supporting our UK Armed Forces’ veterans, especially those who need housing and support to help them transition successfully into civilian life, has always been important to me.

 

“I have admired how Launchpad has grown over the last ten years and is now recognised nationally as a key charity in supporting veterans. I’m pleased to be taking over the reins from David and I’m looking forward to working with the staff who all do an amazing job assisting the residents.”

Jill replaces David Shaw who will continue in his role as CEO and founder of the Veterans’ Foundation, as well as co-founder of the Veterans’ Lottery.

He said:

“Jill has been involved with Launchpad since day one and has always been an advocate for tackling veterans’ homelessness. She brings with her a wealth of knowledge and experience in housing and mental health, which combined with her leadership and pursuance of excellence, make me very confident she will develop the charity further.

 

“As co-founder of this wonderful charity, I’m extremely proud of what we’ve achieved in the last ten years. We have supported over 700 veterans who have needed our help while they struggled with the transition into civilian life. I’d like to congratulate Jill on her appointment and thank the trustees and staff, the staff particularly for the dedication and commitment they have shown to our residents. Although my focus now lies with the Veterans’ Foundation, Launchpad will forever be close to my heart.”

Launchpad provides vital accommodation and targeted support to UK Armed Forces veterans experiencing homelessness and unemployment. The charity manages three houses in the North of England in Liverpool, Newcastle upon Tyne, and Durham and accepts veterans from all over the UK. It provides accommodation for 98 homeless veterans at any one time.

A resident living at Launchpad’s Speke House has demonstrated his joinery skills by creating a vast decking area in the garden of the house for others to enjoy.

A joiner by trade, the resident was joined by two other veterans living at the house to install the new decking and posts.

The six-week project was completed in time and unveiled to other residents and visitors as part of this year’s Armed Forces Day celebrations.

The materials were purchased at a reduced rate from a local timber merchant using money provided by the government’s Op FORTITUDE programme. The programme, which aims to reduce veterans’ homelessness, provides a dedicated pathway for veteran rough sleepers and Launchpad, in partnership with Healthier Heroes CIC based in Burnley, and is committed to supporting 230 veterans over two years.

Launchpad provides combined addiction and mental health psychotherapy services, intensive training and employment support, greater access to community activities and focussed support to help the veterans transition live independently.

Jan Buckley, Activities Coordinator for Launchpad’s Speke House, said:

“The decking is amazing and has made so much difference to the garden. He worked alongside two other residents to ensure it was ready for Armed Forces Day and for the summer months ahead.

 

“The decking is not only aesthetically pleasing, it has replaced the previous uneven paving slabs with a beautiful wooden decked area which is flat and ideal for our residents or visitors with disabilities to equally enjoy the garden area. The decking encourages residents to sit outside and have a cup of tea or an informal meeting with their support worker. Thank you to Op Fortitude for contributing towards the costs of the materials and of course to the resident for his amazing joinery skills.”

Last year, Launchpad’s Speke House provided accommodation and support to 81 veterans. On average, over the last five years, 56% of veterans supported by Speke House have successfully moved on and 28% left in paid employment.

Speke House comprises 50 self-contained, one-bedroom flats and bedsits for former serving personnel and their partners. Launchpad has three houses in the North of England in Liverpool, Newcastle and Durham providing accommodation for 98 homeless veterans – accepting veterans from all over the UK.

OPS Wind/Training, based in Liverpool, is the first company to back a new campaign by sponsoring a veterans’ flat at Launchpad’s Speke House.

The company which delivers safety training for onshore/offshore wind farms, rope access and crane training, has donated £1,000 to the charity which will contribute towards any refurbishment costs and upkeep of one of 50 flats.

OPS Wind/Training is the first company to sign up to the new fundraising campaign and staff from the firm visited the house last week to unveil a plaque which boasts their name in recognition of their contribution to supporting veterans.

They enjoyed a tour of the house, met staff and residents and were presented with an engraved slate plaque to display within their head office.

OPS Training is a gold award holder of the Armed Forces Covenant, demonstrating its commitment and support to the UK Armed Forces’ community.

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

“We are very grateful to OPS Wind/Training for backing this campaign. The average cost to turn around a void flat for a new resident to move in is £2,000. This includes the costs for any removals and disposal of old furniture and items, re-decorating, fixing electrics and lighting and ensuring all relevant safety checks and certificates are re-issued.

 

“This is a cost to the charity so we’ve launched this campaign to generate additional funds, and the response has been amazing. We have 50 flats/bedsits here at Speke House so if we can generate enough funding to cover these miscellaneous costs, it means money can be allocated to other areas that enable us to continue to provide the support our residents need.

 

“Launching fundraising initiatives like sponsoring a veterans flat is a great way to engage with our corporate partners and they can see first-hand the impact their donation will have.”

Gary Paterson, Training Center Manager from OPS Training, said:

“As a military veteran myself, I am aware that not everything goes to plan once leaving the armed forces. Coming from an environment where your daily routine, accommodation, bills are organised for you, to suddenly finding yourself in need of employment and accommodation and maybe your family, paying utility bills, the list goes on and this can lead to tremendous pressure that can possibly lead to complications down the line.

 

“Having a charity like Launchpad plays an essential role in supporting Armed Forces Veterans, addressing their unique challenges and ensuring they receive the care and assistance they deserve after their service.

 

“Launchpad provides a crucial safety net for veterans, who often face a range of difficulties as they transition to civilian life by addressing healthcare needs, providing financial and employment assistance and housing. The work of Launchpad not only aids veterans but also strengthens communities by working with other Armed Forces Covenant members and that’s why OPS Wind/Training is excited to be supporting this charity.”

Last year, Launchpad’s Speke House provided accommodation and support to 81 veterans. On average, over the last five years, 56% of veterans supported by Speke House have successfully moved on and 28% left in paid employment.

Speke House comprises 50 self-contained, one-bedroom flats and bedsits for former serving personnel and their partners. Launchpad has three houses in the North of England in Liverpool, Newcastle and Durham providing accommodation for 100 homeless veterans – accepting veterans from all over the UK.

You now have the opportunity to sponsor one of our flats in any of our three houses.

For £1,000 per annum, per flat, your donation will help make the flat feel welcoming and homely for existing and any new residents moving in. Your donation will contribute towards any refurbishment costs and upkeep of the flat.

The average cost (to the charity) to turn around a void flat for a new resident is £2,000. This includes the costs for removals and disposal of old furniture and items, re-decorating, fixing electrics and lighting and ensuring all relevant safety checks and certificates are re-issued.

Launchpad runs three houses providing accommodation for 100 veterans. This comprises 33 flats at Avondale House in Newcastle, 17 flats at Hollyacre House in Durham and 50 flats/bedsits at Speke House in Liverpool. 86% of the veterans who arrive at our houses are homeless and we support them for up to two years, longer if necessary. These houses often provide the first safe space in which the veteran has slept for months or even years.

As you can see from the photo – OPS Training based in Liverpool are the first company to sponsor a flat at Speke House.

To sponsor a flat or to find out more information, please contact Craig Downs (Business Development Manager North East to sponsor a flat at Avondale House or Hollyacre House) at [email protected] or Gary Perriton (Business Development Manager North West to sponsor a flat at Speke House) at [email protected]