Member Directory

Charity Number: 1153185
Company Number: 08633047

Launchpad is a homeless veterans charity providing vital accommodation and targeted support to UK Armed Forces’ veterans who have struggled with their transition to civilian life.

86% of residents who come to us were either street homeless or sofa surfing. Many of the residents have mental health issues, ranging from anxiety to service and non-service-related PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder). Some need help with addictions while others have found themselves homeless because of relationship and family breakdowns or not being able to secure paid employment.

The charity manages three houses in Liverpool, Newcastle, and Durham and accepts veterans from all over the UK. It provides accommodation for 98 homeless veterans and their partners where relevant. These projects often provide the first safe space in which veterans have slept for months or years.

Residents are supported for up to two years (longer if necessary) but on average, they will stay with us for 12 months.

Veterans are referred to Launchpad by partners including OP Fortitude, Shelter, local authorities, housing associations and the Royal British Legion. We have good relationships with the Armed Forces Covenant teams in each area and regularly receive referrals of homeless veterans needing support from the housing departments. We have strong working relationships with Newcastle City, Liverpool City and Durham County Councils. All recognise the value of and need for our work.

Contact Information

http://veteranslaunchpad.org.uk/
enquiries@veteranslaunchpad.org.uk
c/o Enterprise House
Harmire Enterprise Park
Barnard Castle,Co. Durham
DL12 8XT
0300 1111 238

Support Offered

Fully refurbished, self-contained flats to rent in Newcastle, Liverpool and Durham.

Communal facilities for recreation and training, WiFi, laundry room and garden.

Assistance to arrange and manage benefits and finances.

Assistance to provide welfare and mental health support, as well as signposting to experts, as necessary.

Training for employment through other providers.

Assistance with job searches and job applications, with other providers.

Assistance with search for permanent accommodation, with other providers.

Access to recreational, sporting and adventure pursuits, with other providers.

Engagement with the local community.

Company Number: 21084R

To provide affordable and sensitively managed sheltered housing for people over 60 years of age, giving priority to those who have served in the Armed Forces and their surviving partners or relatives.

Contact Information

http://www.agamemnon.org.uk
enquiries@agamemnon.org.uk
Agamemnon House
Lindisfarne Close
Cosham,Portsmouth
PO6 2SB
02932387086

Support Offered

We offer sheltered housing that is supported by an on-site warden. Accommodation consists of single and double flats within a communal court set in beautiful grounds.

Charity Number: 1048212
Company Number: 02334459

Age UK Waltham Forest, established in 1982, stands as an independent, self-funded, user-led charity. Our mission is rooted in creating an inclusive, respectful, and supportive society, where each older person enjoys a high-quality, fulfilling life, supported to live independently at home for as long as they desire.

Vision:
Our vision revolves around fostering a society where every older person is empowered to lead a life filled with quality, enjoyment, and fulfilment. We are dedicated to ensuring that individuals can age with dignity, supported by our commitment to facilitating independent living for as long as they wish.

Contact Information

http://www.ageuk.org.uk/walthamforest/
info@ageukwalthamforest.org.uk
Waltham Forest Resource Hub (North)
58 Hall Lane
Chingford
E4 8EU

Support Offered

Age UK Waltham Forest, with its experienced staff and volunteers, annually supports over 6,000 older people in the local area through a diverse range of services including Information and Advice Service, Befriending, Independent Living Services, Veterans Group and 30 weekly activities that include Digital support, coffee Mornings, Zumba, Table Tennis, Walking football. Our work is shaped by the priorities identified by older people themselves, with a focus on money, wellbeing, and inclusion.

Aims:
Reduced Social Isolation: We actively work to diminish social isolation by assisting older individuals in reconnecting with the community. This involves helping them find places to go, engaging in activities, and facilitating connections with new people.

Improved Mental and Physical Health: Our services contribute to improved mental and physical health by enhancing understanding and
self-management of health conditions. We provide information and assist in accessing local health and support services, prioritising the overall wellbeing of our beneficiaries.

Improved Finances and Reduction in Poverty: With expert assistance, we aim to advise and support older people in maximising their incomes, thereby contributing to improved financial stability and a reduction in poverty.

Support for Independent Living: We offer comprehensive support for independent living, including assistance at home, handyperson services, and gardening services, recognising the importance of a safe and comfortable living environment.

Our Veteran support services cover a broad spectrum, including accommodation, health support, addressing social isolation, and organising various events.

Our Joint Coordinators work directly with veterans, providing information and advice services for rehoming, referrals to specialists, and assistance with mental health issues.

They also play a crucial role in facilitating social events, monthly lunches, breakfast clubs, coffee club meetings, and annual Christmas lunches, contributing to building a strong sense of community among veterans. Actively engaging with other veteran organisations, our coordinators have forged partnerships with SSAFA, The Royal British Legion, Veterans Aid, and more. This collaboration ensures veterans are directed to specialised services when needed. Our involvement with Leyton Orient Football Foundation, resulting in monthly lunches and match tickets, exemplifies the positive impact of these collaborations.

Charity Number: 1006504
Company Number: 2604011

Ending homelessness for veterans by providing a pathway of accommodation and support to enable them to move on to a successful, independent and fulfilling life

Contact Information

http://www.alabare.co.uk
enquiries@alabare.co.uk
Riverside House
2 Watt Road
Salisbury
SP2 7UD
01722 322 882

Support Offered

Temporary supported accommodation – both higher and lower support homes, through which residents can transition to independence

Signposting to specialist support services

Mentoring and Befriending

Charity Number: 1191968

The Hub provides a Tri-Service Hub offering a safe environment with a single point of focus for Armed Forces Personnel, Service Leavers, Veterans and their families/dependents providing the best, timely, on-going, comprehensive and appropriate support/signposting through various diverse and trusted providers using a multi-disciplined approach of joined up working to achieve an optimised, efficient, person centred service to its users promoting high levels of engagement, increased confidence, resilience and well-being, self-efficacy and the facilitation of skills transfer for the individual back into the community.

The Hub researched ‘best practice’ by working with veterans and has obtained a reputation for focusing its outcomes on work and health related activities. Whereas other veteran charities focused on generic counselling and support services, The Hub focuses on working with veterans to stabilise their lives and then help them back into work, resulting in real job outcomes and improving their quality of life.

Contact Information

http://
info@armedforceshub.org
First Floor
6 Southernhay West
Exeter
EX1 1JG

Support Offered

The Hub Offer, Products and Services, Key Features and Benefits:

• City Centre Location, easy access in the heart of the Community.
• The model is both enabling and supportive, perceiving the wounded, injured and sick part of the veteran and service leaver’s community as an asset. Our activities are driven by our values which include Community, Peer Support, Voluntary Service, Professionalism, independence and inclusivity (service available to all eligible).
• It is not a military charity, therefore non-judgmental. We will treat all Veterans and Service Leavers with unconditional regard whatever their circumstances or experience.
• Complimentary service NOT a competitive one. A catalyst between organisations providing a common link but a single point of triage.
• Identifies critical issues and deals with them.
• Person-centred and solution focused speaking the same language as client group.
• Appointments are not time bound and clients are seen immediately.
• Not constrained by the ‘Form A’ process of other military charities, more flexible so can provide help immediately.
• Community focused (Local service with local connections and opportunities) with defined objective of transferring veteran’s and service leaver’s skills back into the Community i.e. Employment, Volunteering, Work Experience or other meaningful occupation.
• Offers ‘safe’ environment where clients are therefore happy to engage, re-instating a feeling of trust and self-worth.
• Bespoke employment and training information and advice.
• Bespoke personalized support, mentoring and coaching.
• Reduced isolation and increased integration with society/community through Peer Support and Volunteering.
• Access to advice and information surgeries.
• Quicker referral routes/access to specialist services – Help for Heroes, Veterans UK, SSAFA,
NHS Veterans Mental Health Services, op Courage, Combat Stress, RBL contact centre, for those currently serving, Service Leavers, Veterans and their families/Dependents, Assistance
with claims to DWP Benefits (JSA, ESA, PIP), Homelessness/Housing Advice, RFEA, Poppy
Factory, RAFA, Officer’s Association, Drug and Alcohol Services, War pensions & Armed Forces
Compensation Scheme (AFCS) advisor service – support with appeals.
• As a result of above reduced pressure on statutory services.
• Bespoke support for those leaving the Criminal Justice System or at risk of offending/re-offending working with The Police and NHS Liaison and Diversion Services.
• Partnership approach of “The Hub” – by working together with military services and charities, means that overall military based services are not duplicating support. Charities are working together to make sure that their services are not duplicated and can work directly with other military organisations.
• Closers connections – closer working results in closer connections and faster action for client. A wrap-around service is provided to the client in one location – resulting in less travel, less form filling, less referral appointments and a truly in-depth service that meets most of the client’s needs.

Company Number: 08217815

Battling-On has developed a number of programmes that provide activities, training, support, and wrap-around care to armed forces veterans. Battling On provides mentorship and, where necessary, individualised support for veterans with mental health difficulties and long-term health conditions, with the aim of helping the veteran to improve their confidence and self-esteem and, where appropriate, return to full time employment.

Contact Information

https://www.battling-on.com/
info@battling-on.com
Merryhue Farm
Callington
PL17 7HW

Support Offered

Links to Counselling, financial and mental health support systems.
Green space interventions to improve mental wellbeing.
Direct educational support for functional skills and outdoor education Courses.

Charity Number: 1162066

The charity object are as follows:
Providing assistance to beneficiaries with the provision of affordable accommodation, “beneficiaries” means;
Those who are in need or vulnerable , because of their physical or mental health or social or economic circumstances, to former members of the merchant navy, former service personal of armed forces of the crown and widow’s widowers and surviving dependants of men and woman who have served in the merchant navy, Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force.

Contact Information

http://bwmh.org.uk/
estatemanager@bwmh.org.uk
12a Memorial Homes
Bournemouth
BH8 9TP
01202 302881

Support Offered

Charity Number: 1039776

Citizens Advice Portsmouth has recently merged with Havant and Gosport branches to become Citizens Advice Solent East (CASE). We are a local charity dedicated to providing free, confidential, and impartial advice to residents of Portsmouth, Havant and Gosport. Our mission is to empower individuals by helping them navigate and overcome a wide variety of challenges, including debt, housing, benefits, employment, and consumer rights. We are part of the larger Citizens Advice network, committed to promoting equality, challenging discrimination, and influencing social policy for positive change. We collaborate with local governments and other organisations to address the root causes of issues and enhance the overall well-being of our community. For 85 years, we have offered guidance to help people overcome their challenges and advocated on major issues when their voices need to be heard, working to create a fairer and more just society for everyone.

Contact Information

https://casolenteast.org.uk/
contactus@casolenteast.org.uk
Unit 2-3
Ark Royal House
Winston Churchill Avenue
PO1 2GF

Support Offered

Services offered include:

• Access to Justice – a service to help people challenge housing decisions and benefits appeals.
• Armed Forces Covenant – providing broad help and support to veterans, serving members of the armed forces and their families.
• Generalist advice – a limited service provided by volunteers offering a face to face drop in, email or phone based general advice and signposting.
• Help to Claim – a support service focussing on benefits with help and ongoing support to make a claim for Universal Credit.
• Home & Well – a referral only service for clients who have recently been discharged from hospital or at risk of hospitalisation, to ensure vulnerable clients can remain safe and well in their home. Funded by energy and utility companies. Help with financial, employment, benefits, and housing concerns.
• Macmillan – for those affected by cancer, offering help, advice and support with benefits, money matters, debts, pensions, insurance, employment, housing, charitable grants and more.
• Money and Pensions Service – a service providing specialist debt advice and casework for people seeking to resolve their known debt issues and formal / informal debt solutions.
• Work Out Your Money – focusing on money management, to help improve knowledge, skills, and confidence with budgeting, borrowing and debt.
• Older Persons Service – offering additional assistance to over 65s with debt, benefits, consumer, employment, housing and more.
• SAIAS – a social enterprise specialist immigration advice service offering low cost or free immigration advice and support.

Charity Number: 1160206

Communities Fiji aims to provide support, advocacy and case work for Fijians living in the UK. We seek to empower Fijians through the provision of information and support so that they are not disadvantaged whilst living within the UK.

Contact Information

info@cfb.org.uk
c/o 34 Hyde Park Gate
South Kensington
SW7 5DN

Support Offered

Communities Fiji can provide advice on welfare rights, benefits, employment , housing , and domestic abuse cases.

Charity Number: 1190445

We provide assistance to veterans and their families with Mental Health support through counselling and one to one interventions, Addiction support with our addiction substance misuse practitioner. The addiction support is through group work as well as one to one interventions. We also supply complementary therapies in the form of reiki and acupuncture. Social inclusion in the form of groups such as woodcraft, model making and craft as well as coffee morning’s free meals and our breakfast club. Practical support through our case workers who support such things as benefits, housing, fuel poverty, food poverty as well as furniture.

Contact Information

http://www.eastdurhamveterans.co.uk
contact@eastdurhamveterans.co.uk
Queen Alexandra Road
Seaham
SR7 7NH
01915815677

Support Offered

We have 2 case workers who work with the practical support side of what we offer. We have 4 fully qualified counsellors who work within the veterans trust and are dedicated to supporting our veterans. Our substance misuse practitioner who has 18 years experience in substance misuse and also offers complimentary therapies such as reiki and acupuncture.

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Afghanistan support

In light of recent events in Afghanistan, please find information and support resources here