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Veterans and their families who live in Coltishall, Norfolk, and the surrounding area, are invited to pop-in for a catch-up and brew, at a monthly Help for Heroes Café.
The sessions are organised by Simone Ward, who is the Community Builder for the Charity for the Norwich area, on the first Thursday of every month, at the Village Hall, Coltishall. Simone said, “We want to create a warm and inviting atmosphere for veterans and their family members, to come along for a friendly chat. We know that veterans welcome the chance to meet with other like-minded people, which can help them deal with feelings of isolation. I’m also keen to discuss any ideas people may have for improving community life.
“Veterans can sometimes feel they are forgotten by society. And if they’re living with physical injuries, disabilities or mental illness they can become isolated and their mental health can spiral down. We want to do something about that.”
The Office for Veterans Affairs and Family Survey (2022) shows that nearly one in three veterans who live in the UK experience loneliness. It’s estimated that there are more than 6,100 veterans living in the Broadland area. The Charity supports veterans and their families from any branch of the UK military – regulars or reserves – irrespective of length or place of service, and locally embedded civilians who worked under the command of UK Armed Forces.
Nearly 1 in 3 veterans who live in the UK experience loneliness.
Source: The Office for Veterans Affairs Family Survey (2022)
Simone added, “There’s no need to sign up for anything. Veterans and their families can just turn up and say hello, meet with other veterans, and find out about other services that the Charity has to offer.
“From talking to local people, I think there’s a gap in the support available for veterans in Coltishall and the surrounding area. I plan on bringing in other partners who can give advice on a range of topics and have already made links with the local Ministry of Defence Welfare Officer, the local LGBQT community lead and the charity Bridge for Heroes, who are all interested in coming along to the sessions.”
This is such positive news for veterans and their families who live in the local area."
Ambassador
Pav Taylor is an Army veteran living in Norfolk, who served for 24 years in the Royal Army Medical Corps, completing 18 operational tours. He’s now an Ambassador for the Charity and said, “This is such positive news for veterans and their families who live in the area. It’s an opportunity to meet up for a friendly chat and to find out what’s available to support people like me who have served their country.”
The Cafe sessions run on the first Thursday of every month, from 10am - 1pm at the Village Hall, Coltishall. You can find out more information on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574455575762 or by contacting Simone simone.ward@helpforheroes.org.uk.