HELP 4 HOMELESS VETERANS DROP IN 1ST BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION & BOOK LAUNCH OF VETERANS POEMS BY AMBER GUYMER-HOSKING
Today Friday 28th April was a milestone event for our charity. This weekend marks the end of our operational year that begins again on Monday 1st May.
Formed in 2012, we opened our Barnsley Drop-In support hub a year ago.
This has been the busiest and most successful year in our history.
In the last 12 months, we have helped 108 homeless veterans; we have disbursed £8000 of fuel support grants in conjunction with The Veterans Foundation; the Drop-In has hosted around 200 visitors, often issuing food vouchers, always giving food and drink to visitors, and most importantly comradeship; the Therapy Farm visits recommenced and many veterans have now had a free day trip on the farm enjoying comradeship combatting isolation and enjoying being around the animals.
Today we celebrated that drop-in’s anniversary and coupled it with the launch of a book of Veterans’ Poems collated by our Ambassador Amber Guymer-Hosking.
Amber is a former Army Medic who served in Afghanistan, on discharge she became homeless with her young son and our charity provided them with a home in 2017 until she rebuilt her life. She is now a leading supporter of our charity helping with fundraising.
Amber as our guest of honour cut the birthday cake.
We were supported by two of the three local MPs; former Parachute Regiment Major Dan Jarvis MBE MP, and Stephanie Peacock MP the Co-Chair of the Veterans APPG involved with the review of veterans’ welfare services.
We were joined by Mark Busby Anca Nana Vaida and Andy partners involved in a forthcoming TV series about Veterans facing PTSD. Watch out for more about this later this year.2022/23 H4HV has surpassed itself helping more veterans than in any other year. We have developed our support system and despite all the financial pressures in society at present, are in a strong enough position ready to help any veterans around Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire in the forthcoming year.
A massive thank you to everyone who has supported the charity by fundraising and helping on a practical level. Without you all we would not be in the position we are today.