News Archives - Help 4 Homeless Veterans

COVID 2 YEARS ON

Posted on March 24, 2022March 24, 2022 by clickmarketing

HELP 4 HOMELESS VETERANS Charity number 1148155 like everyone else this date two years ago was affected by the Lockdown.

That very same day our first Covid related homeless veteran asked for help. Ex RAF steward working as a waiter in a Channel Island Hotel not only lost his job but his tied accommodation.

H4HV paid to get him back to Leeds, paid his accommodation and gave him some cash to help him get re-established here in Yorkshire.

This is what he said at that time:

I just wanted to write a quick email to say thankyou for all the help you have given me over the last week including getting me off Jersey when I lost my job and accommodation due to the corona virus crisis, hotel and hostel accommodation, train fares, and first months rent. It is very much appreciated and when all this is over I will look at doing some fund raising for you.

I remember thinking at the time, this is going to be awful for lots of people. Well two years on our charity has assisted more than180 more homeless veterans, including this same guy again later on.

Like many key workers our charity has not stopped operating once during the pandemic. We continue reacting rapidly to requests for help including 2 more in the past 36 hours.

We can only maintain this level of help with YOUR support. Please remember us when you are choosing who to donate your hard earned cash to. Thank you.

Help4HomelessVeterans

44 YEARS ON FROM 44 (R) SQUADRON

Posted on March 5, 2022March 5, 2022 by clickmarketing

In 1978 as a newly promoted Corporal, I was posted onto 44 Squadron working as the clerk for the Engineering team on Alpha Dispersal at RAF Waddington surrounded by Vulcan bombers.

One highlight was the day I was allowed to “rev” up the Vulcan during engine testing with a Crew Chief standing very close behind me!

44 years on, today I returned to RAF Waddington to pick up a charity donation for HELP 4 HOMELESS VETERANS the charity I control as its CEO.

The money has been raised as part of the station’s annual charity activities and will be used to support vulnerable veterans.

I really enjoyed the trip down memory lane although Alpha Dispersal wooden huts I worked in are long gone and after the presentation, I met up with

Squadron Leader Tim Fenton MBE who I had worked with as RAF Recruiters in Sheffield in the early 1990s for a tour of the camp, view the last Vulcan XM607 famous for bombing Stanley Airfield in the Falklands war in 1982 followed by lunch in the Officers Mess.

H4H

Therapy Farm Host Army Benevolent Fund

Posted on February 18, 2022February 18, 2022 by clickmarketing

CHIEF OF STAFF BRIGADIER RTD PETER MONTEITH MBE

The weather was kind enough dodging both Storms DUDLEY and EUNICE to allow a small group of Veterans and local authority dignitaries involved in supporting them, to welcome retired Brigadier Peter Montieth from the ABF.

During his Army career, he served with our own Trustee Major Retd John Mayo (seen here together with project lead Jamie Quinn) and came today to see for himself how veterans benefit from working with the various farm animals.

Jamie and Sue who run the farm gave all the guests which included their own Scunthorpe MP Holly Mumby-Croft and a reporter from BBC Radio Humberside a guided tour showing off the recently born calves.

The next visit will be in late March, watch this space for details

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2021

Posted on December 18, 2021February 4, 2022 by clickmarketing

To everyone who has supported our work here at HELP 4 HOMELESS VETERANS Charity no 1148155 this year during which we have helped 95 veterans so far since 1st January, may I thank you and wish you and those you care for a very Merry Christmas and a happy healthy New Year. Despite the difficulties faced with the ongoing pandemic restricting activities we have managed to remain in a good position to allow us to meet virtually all requests for assistance we have received, much of those funds have come from many good people prepared to put themselves out to raise cash to help those less fortunate than themselves. So thankyou once again and Seasons Greetings to all.

FUN ON THE FARM FOR VETERANS

Posted on September 6, 2021February 14, 2022 by clickmarketing

HELP 4 HOMELESS VETERANS in conjunction with Jamie Quinn of Hall Farm Messingham supported by a grant from The VETERANS FOUNDATION has started arranging day visits to the farm for fun and therapy. It is well known being with animals has a calming effect on most people so Jamie a former RAF Gunner who served in the RAF Regiment alongside our CEO Steve Bentham-Bates on 16 Sqn RAF Regt in West Germany and the Falklands got together and came up with this idea.

If you would like to have a free day out meet other veterans and enjoy being in the fresh air working with animals then email the CEO at the following

ceohelp4homelessveterans@gmail.com

CHARITY FOUNDER TOM WOOD RECEIVES AN MBE FOR SERVICES TO HOMELESS VETERANS DURING COVID

Posted on July 30, 2021February 4, 2022 by clickmarketing

On the 28th July 2021 the Lord Lieutenant of South Yorksh

ire, Mr Andrew Coombe CVO presented Tom Wood with the MBE on behalf of Her Majesty The Queen as investiture at Buckingham Palace has been suspended due to covid pandemic.

This was an excellent afternoon surrounded by his

close family and friends from the charity.

THE SOLDIERS FUND DONATES £15,000 TO HELP 4 HOMELESS VETERANS

Posted on July 7, 2021February 4, 2022 by clickmarketing

The Soldiers’ Charity provides a grant for homeless veterans in need

The Soldiers’ Charity has recently awarded a grant of £15,000 to Help 4 Homeless Veterans, a charity based in South Yorkshire, which provides assistance to former Service personnel throughout England and Wales who need a helping hand with day-to-day living costs.

Help 4 Homeless Veterans, founded in 2013, has helped over 600 former members of the Armed Forces with formers soldiers making up the majority. Help has been given in the form of payments for rents and bonds as well as provision of essential items such as beds, kitchen equipment, TVs and food.

The charity’s founder, Tom Wood, was awarded an MBE for services to the homeless during the pandemic. A merit to the hard work it does for our community.

Steve Bentham-Bates, CEO of Help 4 Homeless Veterans, says: “The trustees and I are delighted with this latest grant as it will enable us to continue assisting ex-soldiers. On behalf of everyone involved with our charity, and especially the former soldiers who will receive direct support as a result of this grant, thankyou to ABF The Soldiers’ Charity.”

The charity recently helped a former Infantry soldier from the early 1970s who was being threaten with eviction. It stepped in and assisted with paying his bond and rent to help him move nearer his family in the East Midlands.

A message from the former soldier:

“I am now starting a new life thanks to the financial assistance from Help 4 Homeless Veterans which sent me money on Christmas Eve and

provided funds to cover my move to Nottingham and my first month’s rent to help me restart.

It’s daunting, but I now have the strength to use my own abilities to move on. I genuinely thank you all for my life. You were there. No one else was.”

TWO NEW AMBASSADORS JOIN THE CHARITY TEAM

Posted on February 14, 2021February 4, 2022 by clickmarketing

As CEO of HELP 4 HOMELESS VETERANS charity no 1148155 it gives me great pleasure to announce two new members of our team.

Firstly, Samantha Bumford has returned to us to continue the amazing ambassadorial work she did for us previously including that infamous Wing Walk. I remain in awe of her bravery for that alone. Sam is a reigning Beauty Queen and proudly displays our charity logo on her sash raising awareness of our work wherever she travels around the Country. Welcome Back Sam, I am sure you will rise even above the heights you already reached for us in the coming months.

Secondly, a old professional and later personal friend of mine David Winterburn who is the Founder & Managing Director at HARRISON WINTERBURN Ltd in Leeds. We have history going back over 20 years, and I am confident, that just like Sam, and not forgetting our other lady Ambassador AMBER GUYMER-HOSKING, he will by using his connections in the highest echelons of national businesses raise awareness and attract substantial support in time.

That concludes the new line up of AMBASSADORS for HELP 4 HOMELESS VETERANS. Please join me in welcoming them.

MBE AWARD FOR FOUNDER TOM WOOD NEW YEARS HONOURS LIST 2021

Posted on December 30, 2020February 3, 2022 by clickmarketing

PRESS RELEASE

NEW YEARS HONOURS LIST 2021- AN MBE FOR MR TOM WOOD FOR SERVICES TO HOMELESS VETERANS

On behalf of The Trustees, Volunteers, myself but most of all the 600 veterans including some partners and children who have received assistance through the charity created by Tom Wood and his wife Jean ten years ago, it gives me great pleasure to announce Tom Wood has been awarded the MBE national honour for the work he has done through our charity HELP 4 HOMELESS VETERANS since he created it in 2010.

We believe no Veteran of HM Armed Forces should be homeless. We provide advice, financial and practical support to veterans facing homelessness throughout England and Wales enabling them to rebuild their lives.

This honour represents the pinnacle of all the awards we at our charity have received for our work, it is fitting that the man who started it all should be recognized in this way and I hope it will encourage many other veterans to step forward to assist other former members of HM Armed Forces facing serious difficulties in their lives as the work goes on unabated.

Steve Bentham-Bates

CEO

CEO CHRISTMAS 2020 MESSAGE

Posted on December 18, 2020February 3, 2022 by clickmarketing

CHRISTMAS 2020 MESSAGE FROM THE CEO OF HELP 4 HOMELESS VETERANS

Well where do you start with 2020? Unprecedented certainly, challenging definitely, rewarding without doubt and better for a number of veterans who received our assistance since last Christmas.

We have managed to offer support and advice to 93 veterans since Christmas 2019. This has been delivered by paying Rents, bonds, provision of essential goods such as a new bed, cookers, fridges TVs pots and pans.

Despite all the restrictions that the pandemic has thrown at us, we have continued to operate non-stop and remain proud of our rapid reaction times to responses for help requests, regularly surprising people how quickly we get back to them.

We have helped veterans as far afield as Jersey, Haverfordwest, Scottish Border and all points in between including quite a few around Yorkshire. The majority are former soldiers, a few RAF and RN and 1 RM. Some help has been given not just to individual veterans but also to partners and children too.

We have just like so many charities struggled to fund raise but we have been lucky to attract a few decent grants to enable us to continue operations without financial worry maintaining our reserves. We have also benefited from the generous support from various supporters thank you.

Our exceptional work over the past few years has been recognized by a variety of Group and Individual awards, but this year we received the ultimate accolade any charity can earn. Her Majesty The Queen rewards the very best charities with her Queens Award for Voluntary Service. We were one of only two charities in South Yorkshire presented with this prestigious award this year something we are all justifiably proud of receiving.

As I write this with one week left until Christmas Day we are today currently working with 4 veterans providing assistance and I have no doubt in the next week there will be more, we may even reach 100 by then.

Finally, looking forward to next year I predict even greater rewards as our work ethic is stronger than ever and we are already planning to introduce the FARM THERAPY PROJECT linking up with an old RAF colleague Jamie Quinn to get Veterans out in the fresh air doing something different and helping with their mental health wellbeing.

The other initiative we are getting ready to introduce is a drop-in centre/shop in Barnsley town centre.

Of course our core work helping homeless veterans will continue as always, sadly the numbers continue to rise each year, but we will always try our level best to help when asked by individual veterans in need.

2020 has been a difficult year but I am confident that 2021 will be better and HELP 4 HOMELESS VETERANS charity and our tiny team of excellent volunteers will rise to the future challenges to keep us right up there with the best military charities providing help to our fellow Veterans in their hour of need.