£16,444 helps vets to keep in touch
AGRANT of nearly £16,500 ensured veterans were always able to see their friends and keep in touch during lockdown.
Veterans in Communities is based in Haslingden and works throughout east Lancashire, Rochdale, Heywood and Middleton.
The charity never closed during the lockdown, although the centre had to close to the public, and instead a lot of the social groups, arts and crafts, choir and coffee mornings, along with board meetings, went online.
The charity secured £16,444 from the Veterans Should Not Be Forgotten Programme - a Covid-19 response fund administered by The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust and funded by the Treasury.
Chief executive Amanda Walton said: “We have used the money to buy tablets and sim cards and these have been distributed to our members so they can be used to take part in the activities normally held in the centre which were switched online.
“They have also been a way for the veterans to stay in contact with each other when they could not see each other in the centre; this has been very important for their mental health.
“Our art group and craft group successfully went online, as has the choir. We are now moving on a stage and have already opened our shop at the Arndale in Accrington on Fridays and we are looking to reopen Sandbag Café in Heywood.
“Although things are starting to reopen, we know that some veterans are in the clinically vulnerable group. Although some are ok with going out, others are still uncertain.
“Having the tablets means that, although the restrictions are lifting, those who are more anxious can use them as a means to keep in touch.
“It also means we are prepared if there is a second spike; but we hope that doesn’t happen.”
Funding from the Armed Forces Covenant Trust Covid-19 Impact Programme of just over £14,000 covered the costs of running the centre throughout the lockdown.
An online photography course, to get veterans out in their local communities observing and photographing life around them, was funded by a Lancashire Covid-19 Support Fund grant administered by Lancashire Community Foundation.
Tesco’s bags of help donated £500 which helped towards fuel and veterans’ expenses incurred while helping to deliver food parcels in Rossendale for Positive Start.
For more information on VIC contact 01706 833180.