A special Downing Street reception, held ahead of Remembrance 2026, has been attended by representatives from the VALOUR-recognised Centre (VRC) based at ALABARÉ in Salisbury.
The charity’s VALOUR Partnership and Engagement Lead, Karen Langley, who is a veteran herself, serving with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) for 12 years, met with the Prime Minister, Andy Burnham.
She travelled to London for the event on Thursday (5 November) with two beneficiaries of the VALOUR scheme in Wiltshire, Helen and Richard.
The group also spoke to Veterans’ Minister, Calvin Bailey MP, and the Head of the VALOUR programme for the Office for Veterans’ Affairs, Neil Thomas.
ALABARÉ is home to one of 16 VRCs across the country, which have been created to provide a network of support for the military community, past and present, as well as their families.
The centres offer advice, signposting and direct support for health, housing and employment issues.
The Salisbury VRC consortium is led by ALABARÉ in partnership with the Armed Forces Equine Charity, Defence Gardens Scheme, Defence Medical Welfare Service, Icarus, The Poppy Factory, and The Warrior Programme.
Since launching in early July, the South West VALOUR scheme has supported more than 100 people, which is the equivalent of five people each week.
Speaking about the visit to 10 Downing Street, Karen Langley from ALABARÉ said:
“What an honour to be invited and an amazing day to attend. I am still buzzing to have been inside Number 10!”
ALABARÉ stand by veterans all year round
In addition to the VALOUR-recognised centre, the charity is ready to support former military personnel who find themselves at risk of homelessness for more than just Remembrance.
ALABARÉ has a total of 16 properties across the South West and Wales providing veteran-specific supported living accommodation.
The Homes for Veterans scheme offers clients a safe, secure place to stay, but also bespoke and trauma-informed holistic support from dedicated colleagues, many of whom have lived experience of the military, to help veterans break the cycle of homelessness and move towards independence.
Demand for ALABARÉ’s veteran services has risen by 21% in the last financial year (2025-26), with the charity opening three additional homes in Salisbury, Devizes and Gloucester during 2026 to meet the increasing need.
What Remembrance Means
Richie Costello served with the 2nd Battalion, Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment, which included operational tours in Northern Ireland, Afghanistan and Iraq.
After leaving the Army, he found work with Stoke-on-Trent Council, and then with the NHS at the Royal Stoke Hospital.
A mental health crisis led to him becoming homeless, and he referred himself to ALABARÉ for support, moving into a Home for Veterans in Gosport.
He has since moved onto independent accommodation, is in full-time employment and regularly supports the charity through volunteering and peer mentoring, including his participation in the Heritage that Heals project in Malta this summer.
Richie accompanied a group of veterans from ALABARÉ as they completed the military restoration exercise and cultural exchange project.
He says Remembrance is a poignant time for veterans like him:
“It’s remembering the lost and fallen. We’ve been to war, and we’ve lost lives all to keep Britain, Britain. (It’s important to) remember all the people who have died serving this country.”
He also reflected on the support offered by ALABARÉ:
“I started out in the infantry in 1996, did a ten-year stint and left in 2006. Being in (the military), you don’t have to sort out your bills; your tax is paid, your insurance is paid, but as soon as you leave, all of that is a panic and a worry of ‘what am I doing?’.
“This is why ALABARÉ and VALOUR are really helping the veterans. I know a few people who’ve gone down the wrong path, and through ALABARÉ I’ve been able to help keep them on the straight and narrow.”
ALABARÉ will be marking Armistice Day on Wednesday, 11 November, with a short Remembrance Service, led by Chaplain Reverend Barney Hopkinson at the VALOUR-recognised Centre on Watt Road, Salisbury.
