Newbilletforoldsoldiers
Veterans group celebrates opening of their new drop-in centre premises
A NEW drop-in centre for former members of the armed forces was officially opened in Govan by Veterans Minister Keith Brown.
The Coming Home Centre has been based at Cathcart Old Parish Church since it opened in 2010 but now the charity has its own premises at the Pearce Institute.
Operations Manager Ian Hopkins and his team of volunteers aim to offer veterans support as they adapt to civilian life.
Mr Hopkins, a former Royal Marine, said: “This new facility gives us the space and environment where veterans and their families not only know where we are, but those that refer them to us do as well.
“We are open initially from 9am until 5pm but hopefully these hours can be extended as we go forward.
“From our office we can help, advise and support veterans in the many issues that affect them and, where required, get them specialist help.
“Many veterans will exclude them- selves socially when things go wrong, and in many cases this can lead to additional issues and addictions, so one of the first steps to recovery is just chatting with other veterans.
“Tea and coffee is available all day with a meal at lunchtime, and this is usually where they discover they are not the only ones who feel the way they do, and the peer support and camaraderie they enjoyed in the forces kicks in.
“We will also be running music and art therapy classes, healthy eating and cooking classes. We have bike and woodwork workshops, or they can simply come in for a coffee and read the papers.”
Veterans Secretary Keith Brown, who visited the facilities, said: “Coming Home Centres pool the experience and expertise of many organisations to give veterans and their families a welcoming environment where they can access a wide range of support and advice.
“This new centre will help many veterans with the varied and complex issues that can arise in going from service to civilian life, while raising awareness of the huge value and experience that veterans bring to our communities.”
Mr Hopkins added: “It is a really exciting time for community veterans support and we are delighted that Keith Brown was able to join us – the support he provided is very much appreciated.”