Veterans project expands in East Kent

East Kent Mind is delighted to announce it has received a grant of £25,000 from The Veterans’ Foundation to support its work.

The funding will enable the charity to develop and expand its pilot Armed Forces Connector post linking ex-military, reservists and their adult family members who are isolated, struggling with wellbeing, mental health or alcohol-related issues into a range of support services.

A key part of the programme involves East Kent Mind staff working with GPs and social prescribers to identify veterans who are off the radar of the established support groups and who might benefit from contact.

Wellbeing and mental health activity sessions will be staged focusing on Ramsgate, Birchington and Canterbury.

Karen Brinkman, East Kent Mind’s Armed Forces Connector, is also staging a range of high profile activities and events to work with established armed forces breakfast clubs and hubs in East Kent and to provide additional peer to peer support opportunities for new veterans making contact.

The project’s leader, Simon Dolby, said: “This an exciting time for our charity’s work with veterans in Thanet and the Canterbury district. We are so grateful to The Veterans Foundation for their backing.”

To find out more visit www.eastkentmind.org.uk/veterans and sign-up for our Veterans Bulletin.

Click here to complete the Armed Forces Connector Survey.

Foundation delivering support across the UK

The founder of the Veterans’ Foundation, Major General David Shaw, said: “The Veterans’ Foundation has been set up to help fund charities and other charitable organisations that are helping serving and former members of the Armed Forces, and their dependants, who are in need.”

“The Veterans’ Foundation raises its money through the Veterans’ Lottery and donations. Since inception in July 2016, it has given over £11 million through over 600 grants to over 300 unique organisations, many of them small to medium-sized and very worthwhile charities, which are helping members of the Armed Forces community who are in need. Forecasts indicate the Veterans’ Foundation will make grants totaling £4.4 million this financial year.  The charities and other organisations we have helped include those tackling the challenges of mental and physical injuries, homelessness, unemployment, children’s loss of parents while serving and remembrance.  We encourage you to spread the word.”

“We are grateful for the public’s support of the Veterans’ Foundation and its Veterans’ Lottery, and we encourage you to spread the word.”

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