Veterans’ charity on the brink after flood
A SOCIAL hub for veterans is on the brink of closure due to water damage from the recent heavy rain.
The Veterans’ Garage in Eccles was under refurbishment during lockdown and was just days away from reopening when volunteers found their roof had collapsed.
The garage is a social hub open seven days a week for veterans, their aim is to integrate ex-military servicemen and women back into society.
It is looking to raise £15,000 to find a temporary home if the current one is deemed unusable.
Director Craig Monaghan said: “The reason we’re looking for that much is to put us into a temporary social space.
“The roof has partially collapsed, so we’re in very uncertain times. We have some guys coming in to take a look, and they could condemn the building and if they do that then we’ll be without a home.”
The charity offers welfare support to ex-military men and women through the love of motor vehicles. They host motorcycle, car and aviation events to raise funds for their vital work – and as a way to reintegrate veterans back into society.
Their services were temporarily unavailable due to lockdown, but work was being carried out to renovate the unit and reopen today.
Plans were in place for veterans to be welcomed back into the garage with social distancing measures.
Craig said: “It’s a massive blow, with the lockdown, we’ve never seen a need like the one we’ve had recently. Veterans got out of social isolation through us and then lockdown happened and they’ve been socially isolated again.
“We planned on getting them back in here, socially distanced of course, but to get them back around an outside environment and around a team that supported them so well, remotely and physically.
“The refurbishment would have pretty much made us the biggest military and blue light service charity in the North.”
During the lockdown, the Garage has been working closely with veterans, making more than 1,900 phone calls, delivering food and providing counselling sessions online for up to 150 people.
While the charity relies on some donations, it is largely self-funded through its cafe and motor clubs.
The refurbishment had seen new counselling suites, space for a pool table and arcade machine, the installation of an industrial kitchen and a new board room.