The vital veteran support service in Herefordshire has been awarded critical funding from The Eveson Charitable Trust to help it support the local Armed Forces community over the next 12 months.
The Herefordshire Veteran Support Centre (HVSC) was launched in November 2019, following the 2019 Armed Forces Veterans’ Survey. The responses showed a clear need for more local support for veterans and their families in Herefordshire, especially in areas such as benefits, pensions, employment, debt, wellbeing and mental health.
Herefordshire Council successfully bid for funding from the Armed Forces Covenant Grant, and the hub opened on Hereford’s West Street in November 2019.
Just as the centre was gaining traction, the Covid-19 pandemic meant the HVSC had to close until a brief reopening in November 2020. The hub officially reopened with a new Centre Manager in April 2021, opening 3 days a week with plans to increase this to 5 days.
The HVSC has now been awarded £17,560 from The Eveson Charitable Trust, to help cover its running costs for the next 12months. The Trust aims to support older people, the homeless and people with disabilities within Herefordshire, with funding decisions guided by criteria laid out in the will of late founder and local philanthropist Mrs Violet Mary Eveson.
This funding couldn’t come at a more opportune time for the community hub. Pandemic disruption has impacted on the charity’s ability to deliver its fundraising plan for 2022, at a time of increased need for users of the HVSC. A survey in 2019 of the veteran and military community in Herefordshire – which makes up an estimated 20% of the county’s population – highlighted the need for non-medical interventions to support mental health and wellbeing.
The HVSC will now be able to make progress on its five-year business plan for 2021 to 2025, with the following priorities:
- Providing a welcoming drop-in centre for the Armed Forces Community
- Providing space for partner organisations and charities to offer advice, training and guidance
- Signposting users to appropriate help and support
- Responding to current needs within the local Armed Forces Community
- Generating income via fundraising to support the activities of the HVSC
- Promoting the services of the HVSC to local veterans and their families within Herefordshire.
About the HVSC
The HVSC provides a ‘One Stop Support Shop’ and a friendly listening ear to anyone within the local Armed Forces community in Herefordshire who may be experiencing issues or requiring support. It works closely with partner organisations such as AgeUK, Help for Heroes and DMWS.
The centre has replicated the No Wrong Door approach which exists for youth support in Herefordshire, where coverage and support is provided on a rota basis to ensure that no-one leaves without either an appointment made or support given.
The HVSC has a ready cohort of volunteers, thanks to the veteran-to-veteran volunteering scheme launched during the first lockdown in March 2020.
