''Veterans Aid'' is a UK charity providing support to ex-servicemen and women (
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
,
Royal Marines
The Corps of Royal Marines (RM), also known as the Royal Marines Commandos, are the UK's special operations capable commando force, amphibious light infantry and also one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy. The Corps of Royal Marine ...
,
Army
An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
,
RAF or
Merchant Navy), and their widows and widowers.
It operates from two locations: a Drop-in Centre/Head Office in central London (
Victoria) and a residential home (New Belvedere House) in east London (Stepney).
The charity's core business is averting and/or addressing the crisis, particularly where it threatens to lead to homelessness.
History
Veterans Aid was established in 1932 (designated originally as EFC – The Embankment Fellowship Centre) as a direct response to the homelessness caused by poverty and unemployment among the ex-service community in London.
It was founded by Mrs Gwendoline Huggins, whose husband was Adjutant of The Royal Hospital Chelsea from 1932–35. Moved by the sight of men who had served their country sleeping on the capital’s streets and along the Thames Embankment, she decided to do something practical to remedy it. This led to the opening in January 1932 of H10, a canteen and recreation room for destitute ex-services personnel in
Lambeth
Lambeth () is a district in South London, England, in the London Borough of Lambeth, historically in the County of Surrey. It is situated south of Charing Cross. The population of the London Borough of Lambeth was 303,086 in 2011. The area expe ...
, South London.
In 2007 the charity was renamed Veterans Aid, and its remit extended from homelessness to all issues affecting veterans in crisis.
The charity's patron is the
Dowager Viscountess Rothermere.
Main activities
In general terms, all the charity’s activities revolve around helping ex-servicemen and women in crisis. Specifically, it deals with all the factors that contribute to the crisis, especially those leading to homelessness. Because homelessness is considered both a cause and an effect of dysfunction, charitable activities are diverse. The charity aims to restore veterans in crisis to a point where they can sustain productive, independent living.
The charity aims to tackle rough sleeping by committing to 'No First Night Out. The charity will immediately provide food, new clothing and safe accommodation to those seeking and qualifying for its help.
Subsequent interventions can include counselling, addiction treatment and rehabilitation, debt management and, where appropriate, access to education, retraining or the acquisition of a new skill. Help is given to identify employment opportunities and, when veterans are considered ready, help is provided to source appropriately decorated and furnished homes.
See also
*
Military Covenant
The Military Covenant or Armed Forces Covenant is a term introduced in 2000 into British public life to refer to the mutual obligations between the United Kingdom and His Majesty's Armed Forces. According to ''The Guardian'', "it is an informal un ...
*
Homelessness
Homelessness or houselessness – also known as a state of being unhoused or unsheltered – is the condition of lacking stable, safe, and adequate housing. People can be categorized as homeless if they are:
* living on the streets, also kn ...
References
{{reflist
Homelessness charities in the United Kingdom
British veterans' organisations
1932 establishments in the United Kingdom
Organizations established in 1932