I would like to take this opportunity to introduced myself. My name is Andrew Powell I am the CEO and co-Founder and owner of Healthier Heroes CIC with my Wife Rio Powell who is the COO. I have 16 years military service with the Queens Lancashire regiment then latterly the Duke of Lancaster’s regiment, which is where I ended my service in 2013.
Healthier Heroes CIC provides support to ex-service personnel, their families and carers who are struggling with an array of complex requirements and support, as well as members of the NHS and other blue light services. The support offered to our service users includes housing, education, employment, tackling isolation and health and wellbeing. Partnering with statutory and other third sector organisations we ensure our service users receive the support they need using a collaboration approach. From consultation through to delivery our service users drive us. We pride ourselves on co-designing all our delivery programmes in joint consultation with our beneficiaries.
We are very proud and very excited to be able to provide our services to support the wider armed forces community and blue light services across the northwest and northeast. We have been set up and supported by people with lived experience of complex needs (including homelessness, mental health issues and substance misuse), so that clients have a space in which they will feel understood.
We have been set up and supported by people with lived experience of complex needs (including homelessness, mental health issues and substance misuse), so that clients have a space in which they will feel understood.
We are running a programme called UNITE INSPIRE BELIEVE which aims to tackle the complex needs of those in need. We opened Bancroft house in Burnley in December 2020, and in November 2025 we opened 2 new housing projects one in St Helens and one in Redcar and Cleveland (NE) as we are now able to support the armed forces community across the north of England. We are very excited to be able to house homeless and venerable Veterans as well as those who have left the criminal Justice system, that may also be in need of support to help. This will help to stop the cycle of reoffending while providing 24-hour care and support to those that will be accommodated with us.
What makes us most proud of the work within the homelessness and housing support sector is the commitment of organisations, professionals, and volunteers who work tirelessly to improve the lives of some of the most vulnerable people within our communities.
As a Member of Cobseo and part of the wider Armed Forces charity sector, we are particularly proud of the collaborative approach that exists across veteran support organisations. The willingness of charities, local authorities, housing providers, healthcare services, and community groups to work together means that veterans and their families can access support that is often life-changing. Many of our team members have lived experience of military service, which provides a unique understanding of the challenges that some veterans face when transitioning to civilian life, managing health conditions, overcoming homelessness, or rebuilding their independence. This lived experience helps us build trust, understand individual circumstances, and provide meaningful support that is tailored to the needs of the Armed Forces community.
We are proud to be part of a sector that continually goes above and beyond to ensure that no veteran is left behind. Whether supporting someone into accommodation, helping them improve their mental wellbeing, reconnecting them with their family, or simply being there when they need someone to talk to, the impact of this work can be profound. Most importantly, we are proud of the resilience shown by the veterans and families we support. Every day we see individuals overcome significant challenges, rebuild their lives, and achieve outcomes that once seemed impossible. Being able to play even a small part in that journey is a privilege and one of the most rewarding aspects of our work.
Being a member of Cobseo provides significant benefits to our organisation and, most importantly, to the veterans and families we support. Membership gives us access to a much wider network of organisations, charities, statutory services, and subject matter experts working across the Armed Forces community. This enables us to collaborate more effectively, share best practice, identify opportunities for partnership working, and ensure veterans receive the most appropriate support available, regardless of where they are located or what challenges they face.
Whilst housing and homelessness support remain a key part of our work, the needs of veterans are often far more complex and can extend into areas such as mental health, physical health, employment, welfare, family support, and involvement with the criminal justice system. Through Cobseo’s extensive membership network, we are able to connect veterans with specialist organisations that can provide support beyond our own areas of expertise, ensuring a more holistic and coordinated approach to care. Being part of Cobseo also allows us to engage with national discussions, working groups, and sector-wide initiatives that influence policy development and strategic planning across the Armed Forces community. This provides an opportunity for organisations such as ours, with direct frontline experience and lived experience of military service, to contribute to conversations that help shape future government policy, service provision, and funding priorities.
Importantly, Cobseo creates a collective voice for the sector. By bringing together organisations of all sizes, it enables the experiences and needs of veterans and their families to be represented at a national level. This helps ensure that government departments, policymakers, and decision-makers are informed by evidence, lived experience, and the realities faced by the Armed Forces community.
Ultimately, our Cobseo membership strengthens our ability to support veterans, enhances collaboration across sectors, and helps contribute towards positive change for the wider Armed Forces community and society as a whole.
Afghanistan support
In light of recent events in Afghanistan, please find information and support resources here