Families' Charity Success in 2014 ®
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Issue 33 September 2014 ® Raising awareness of the range of help and advice available to veterans Families’ Charity Success in 2014 HELP AND SUPPORT FROM Veterans UK Call the Veterans-UK Helpline: 0808 1914 2 18 Email: [email protected] Web: www.veterans-uk.info Facebook: Veterans UK Twitter: @VeteransUK_MOD *You may be offered a call back if lines are busy ® September 2014 Issue 33 CIN ToHnIS tISeSnUE ts 11 Gardening World Covenant greatly helps gardening project grow 12 Veteran gets disability confident DWP campaign raises awareness with employers 20 Birthday Celebrations X-Forces on their first anniversary 11 26 In Memoriam 2014 Work continues on preserving memorials Regulars 4-5 News in Brief 12 Front cover: Armed Forces Day 2014 - see page 7 The content of Veterans WORLD is provided to raise awareness of help, advice and support available to the veterans community. Publication of articles on services provided or developments affecting the veterans community does not mean that they are endorsed by Veterans WORLD or the Ministry of Defence. For advertising opportunities please contact: [email protected] Veterans WORLD is distributed to those who work in an advisory role. To contact the Editor email: [email protected] 20 Want to make an editorial contribution? Contributions are most welcome. To raise awareness of an initiative, scheme or organisation that offers help, advice or support to veterans, contact the Editorial Team by email: [email protected] or by calling: 01253 338816 For distribution enquiries Email: [email protected] or call: 01253 338811 For information relating to War Pension/AFCS claims please call the Veterans UK Helpline 0808 1914 2 18 © Crown copyright 2014 26 Issue 33 September 2014 3 News in brief Outreach service Rotherham Veterans Commissioner A bespoke trailer has been designed to announced spread awareness of the services and support that is available to veterans across In June, First Minister Alex Salmond the Rotherham borough. announced Mr Eric Fraser CBE as Scotland’s The service is part of Rotherham’s inaugural Veterans Commissioner – the first commitment to the Armed Forces role of its kind in the UK. Community Covenant which it signed in In his role as Scottish Veterans January 2012. Commissioner, Eric Fraser will work with Since that time, Rotherham Council Service charities, local authorities and has worked with other organisations with health boards to identify any areas in one of its key developments being the public services that might provide greater creation of a community group, the support to veterans and help shape future Military Community and Veterans Centre Another reason for the outreach is that policy development and opportunities. (MCVC), run by veterans for veterans. not everyone has enough available The establishment of this new role Another key issue is to discover just how money to pay for bus fares into reinforces the Scottish Government’s big Rotherham’s veterans community is. Rotherham. commitment to provide support to the The group has held drop in sessions at the An Armed Forces Community Covenant estimated 400,000 ex-Service men and Unity Centre and at the Voluntary Action grant of £22,088 was received to fund the women living in Scotland. Rotherham offices in Coke Hill, but it was purchase and running costs of the trailer, A graduate of Edinburgh University, felt that this was still not reaching out to which is currently staffed by volunteers. A Eric Fraser joined the Royal Navy in 1976 the majority of potential people. programme of locations is being and during a 37-year career served in a The group decided that an outreach developed and talks are ongoing with wide range of appointments, both at sea service needed to be developed to travel other South Yorkshire councils for the and ashore. As a junior officer in 1982 he to various locations around the borough outreach service to be included in their saw service during the Falklands Conflict to meet their target audience and to own Armed Forces Covenant work. on board the minesweeper HMS promote the existence of the group. www.rotherhammcvc.wordpress.com FARNELLA, later commanding the Fishery Protection Vessel HMS GUERNSEY and the frigate HMS BOXER. This latter role included periods operating in the Adriatic East Lancashire outreach extends at the height of the Balkans War and a spell combating drug smuggling around the OUTREACH services being offered by East are run by veterans Pat O’Reilly and Caribbean. Lancashire-based charity ‘Veterans In John Clark. Subsequent appointments focussed on Communities’(VIC), for veterans and their VIC, established in 2012, now operates joint operations including spells at the families living in Blackburn, with Darwen outreach in Rossendale, Pendle, Heywood Permanent Joint HQ in Northwood where have hit the ground running. and is looking to extend to other areas of he headed teams directing operations in The service, launched in March, has East Lancashire in the near future. the Balkans and Afghanistan and, later, had already seen a number of veterans The charity offers a unique mix of the responsibility of providing enquiring about the support VIC can outreach services, community-based communications and IT support for all UK provide. projects, social inclusion projects, art forces deployed overseas. He was awarded The new outreach received a £300 classes and outdoor activities which a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List boost from Blackburn with Darwen included regular walks, fishing, sailing and in 2009 as a result of this tour. Council and operates every Tuesday from mountain biking. Eric took up his appointment as 10 am to 1 pm at Darwen Town Hall. The www.veteransincommunities.org/ Scottish Veterans Commissioner in sessions August 2014. [email protected] Discounted travel for reservists si.gov.uk Train companies have extended the offer to visit friends, meaning they of Armed Forces travel discount scheme get to enjoy time with loved ones for less. to tens of thousands of volunteer With growing numbers of volunteer reservists. reserves supporting the country and The deal signed between rail working as part of a fully integrated force, companies and the Ministry of Defence train companies have worked closely with now means the HM Forces Railcard will the Ministry of Defence to make the now cover all active volunteer reservists, benefit available to all active troops. their spouses and children. www.hmforces-railcard.co.uk/ The railcard will save reservists a third off fares for family days out and trips 4 Cabinet votes to Helping Residents to Reminisce support veterans space around them into a A volunteer group supporting veterans and therapeutic and calming their dependents will continue to operate environment, which can out of a dedicated building, thanks to a help to stimulate commitment from Warwickshire County memories. Using the Pods Council. encourages conversation Cabinet members agreed to grant a amongst residents and ten-year lease for the use of the Horsa assists them with Building in Queens Road, Nuneaton as the remembering their lives. Veterans Contact Point. One of the new Pods was The Centre is staffed by a combination generously donated to of volunteers and professionals from the the Home by the Rotary Veterans Partnership which includes staff Club of Solihull St from the MOD’s Veterans UK service, The Alphege. Royal British Legion, Adult Community Remembrance Pods are Learning and Bedworth, Rugby and the invention of Nuneaton CAB. entrepreneur, Richard The services available include welfare Ernest. Richard thought of the idea after visiting assistance, employment training, literacy Nurse Mark Bebbington and resident Leslie Nelson a care home back in 2009. and numeracy (particularly with Gurkha chatting in the Rempod Bar. Mark had to wait until he got He was struck by how the veterans where there are currently home to open his beer 72 learners involved in this area), an residents living with internet café, peer and emotional support. The Royal Star & Garter Home in Solihull dementia were often living in the past. The Veterans Contact Point Armed Forces has purchased a selection of Rempods for After appearing on the BBC2 television Centre is open Monday to Friday, call the Home. show, Dragon’s Den, Richard managed to 02476 343793 or email Remembrance Pods or ‘Rempods’ are secure a £100,000 deal to develop his [email protected] a reminiscence tool for the elderly and for idea. people living with dementia. In keeping Currently, eight different versions of with the Charity’s mission to help the Rempod are available, including a Extending help to residents live life to the full, the Rempods pop-up Dance Hall, Cinema, Kitchen and have already proven to be a popular and decade-specific themes, ranging from the veterans valuable asset. 1950s to 1970s. The Solihull Home has a An advice and support service aimed at The Rempods are pop-up Shop, a Bar and a Cinema. helping local armed forces veterans and reminiscence rooms that transform the www.starandgarter.org their families to make the difficult transition back into Civvy Street is being extended right across Tyneside. Combat Stress CPN awarded Winston Churchill Gateshead Council appointed an Fellowship Armed Forces Community Outreach Worker last year to provide advice and As a veteran and community psychiatric operational stress injury clinics which support to local veterans and their families, nurse working