To provide assistance and welfare to, but not restricted to, veterans in the criminal justice system by the provison of a mentor.
To create a pathway back to normality for the veteran who has been in prison.
Mentorship programme of support
Group meetings in prison
Remote support service
Telephone helpline
Raising awareness through training
Connection to other services
Family support
To provide a mulit-disciplinary approach for the care and rehabilitation of those with neurological and medical disabilities – predominantly those who have served with HM Forces.
Residential nursing and rehabilitation care for physically disabled ex-Service personnel.
CESSAC has been operating amenity centres for serving members of the Armed Forces and their families in establishments at home and abroad for over 125 years. It branched out into managing sheltered housing for retired ex-HM forces people and their family members in southern England over 40 years ago through its sister organisation CESSA HA. Both organisations are managed from the Head Office in Portsmouth and share the website. The CofE in each title simply reflects the ethos of the founders and Directors – delivery has always been to those of all religions and none.
CESSAC provides a number of homely, welcoming alcohol-free cafes for serving Armed Forces Personnel and their families in Cyprus, Germany, Falklands & UK
CESSA HA manages sheltered housing schemes for ex-Service personnel & their families over age 60 – 6 schemes are in the Portsmouth area, mostly for those from any Service, with 2 others only for former naval service personnel in Greenwich & Saltash (those owned by Greenwich Hospital)
To provide recreational and other leisure time facilities for serving members of the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, or the Maritime Reserve and their families, and other specified classes including ex-serving members of the Royal Navy and the Royal Marines, and serving members of the Army or the Royal Air Force, attached to or embedded with Royal Navy units.
Extensive health & leisure facilities including a golf course, accommodation, function rooms and Woodland Adventure Golf.
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.
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.
Climb 2 Recovery exists to support wounded, injured and sick veterans in rebuilding their lives—not just recovering from clinical symptoms, but reconnecting with who they are beyond their injuries or diagnoses. We use climbing and mountaineering to create life-changing opportunities for challenge, confidence, connection and growth.
For most of our members, the clinical phase of recovery has ended, but the real journey is just beginning. For us recovery is not just a medical process—it’s a human whole-of-life one. It’s about rediscovering purpose, rebuilding identity, finding community, and having something to look forward to. That’s what we offer; not just a single expedition, a limited number of courses, or a one-off experience, but an enduring long-term programme, community and adventure.
Our work is grounded in evidence-based, trauma-informed principles, but we don’t provide therapy or counselling—and we don’t need to. Our approach is ‘therapeutic without therapy’. It’s empowering, person-led, and rooted in mutual respect. At its heart, Climb 2 Recovery is not just an organisation—it’s a veteran-led and enduring community of belonging, trust, and transformation.
Climb 2 Recovery delivers a year-round, UK-wide programme of fully funded climbing and mountaineering courses for wounded, injured and sick veterans. Our support bridges the gap between clinical recovery and life beyond it—helping veterans regain confidence, purpose and community in a safe, inclusive environment.
We offer a structured pathway of progressive opportunities, from introductory sessions to advanced expeditions and professional qualifications. Courses run every month across the UK, with all food, equipment, accommodation, instruction and insurance provided—so members can focus entirely on their own journey.
We are an affiliated club of the British Mountaineering Council and a recognised provider for Mountain Training UK. Our instructors are among the most experienced and professional in the UK—deeply skilled at creating safe, welcoming spaces for challenge, reflection and growth. Their trauma-informed approach is grounded in compassion and care; they meet members exactly where they are, never demanding or expecting more than someone is ready to give.
Safety and safeguarding are at the core of everything we do. While we are not a clinical or therapeutic service, we work within a clearly defined remit to support recovery as safely and effectively as possible—never straying into areas that require professional therapeutic or medical care. Where a member requires support beyond our programme we have a clear set of policies and procedures to enable this with external organisations in a collaborative, transparent and constructive way.
Many of our members continue their journey with us long term—becoming peer mentors, volunteers, or progressing to formal outdoor qualifications. And many take the confidence they build back into their families, friendships, and wider communities. In many ways, Climb 2 Recovery enables our members to ‘continue their Service by other means’, creating a powerful positive ripple effect far beyond our membership. Because what we offer isn’t just a course—it’s a way back into life.
Combat Stress is the UK’s leading charity for veterans’ mental health. The charity focusses on delivering specialist treatment and support to veterans with complex mental health issues – those who have several severe mental health conditions arising from military service.
They believe that military trauma shouldn’t destroy the lives of veterans and their families.
Veterans and their families can call Combat Stress’ free 24-hour helpline, on 0800 138 1619, for confidential advice and support.
The charity also operates a serving personnel helpline on 0800 323 4444.
For general information and enquiries, please call 01372 587 000 or email contactus@combatstress.org.uk.
For more information visit: http://www.combatstress.org.uk
Combat Stress’ specialist treatment is available across the UK – with teams in Belfast, Inverness, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Surrey, the Midlands and the Northwest.
The vast majority of the charity’s specialist services are now provided online, as it removes geographical and logistical barriers to receiving treatment. Where required, this online provision is complemented by in-person outpatient appointments and community services including peer support, and treatment on a residential basis.
Treatment is tailored to each individual’s specific needs, and includes psychiatric and psychological treatment; substance misuse management; art therapy; occupational therapy; peer support; family support; online self-help materials and a 24-hour Helpline.
The Commonwealth War Graves Foundation (CWGF) is the charitable arm of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) and was founded in 2017 with the purpose of engaging and educating people, especially younger generations, with the ongoing work of the CWGC and the stories of those who served and died in the First and Second World Wars. Our aim is to ensure the memories of the fallen live on by supporting education, outreach, and innovative projects that connect communities with the global heritage of remembrance and bring their stories to life.
The CWGC was founded by Royal Charter in 1917 and has been commemorating more than 1.7 million First and Second World War dead for over 100 years. The CWGF was founded in 2017 and supports the expertise of the CWGC in sharing the stories of the individuals commemorated by the CWGC by funding educational and engagement projects and initiatives which include talks, guided tours, international education opportunities, maintaining and preserving scattered war graves, heritage initiatives and community projects.
The charity aims and purpose is to offer emotional and practical support to vulnerable groups with complex needs, including veterans and their family members. Residents in the Boroughs of: Merton, Wandsworth, Richmond, Kingston and Sutton.
Our aim is to support groups in society, who find difficult to integrate within their local community, to do so. By increasing their self-confidence, develop the needed practical skills and guide them in achieving their full potential.
CDARS has provided service within the community for over 30 years, our lines of expertise covers: counselling, support groups, managing and support with mental health, prevention and managing of suicide risks, thoughts and ideation, managing and support with substance and alcohol disorders, building self-esteem and self-confidence, develop and provision of health and well-being programme, including arts, music, choir and sports activities. Support with housing, homelessness and education/employment issues, treatment for perpetrators of domestic violence.
Afghanistan support
In light of recent events in Afghanistan, please find information and support resources here