Veterans Aid
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Veterans Aid is a charity based in the United Kingdom that provides aid to former members of the Royal Navy, Marines, Army, Air Force, and Merchant Navy, as well as to their widows and widowers.[1]
- 27 Victoria Square, London SW1W 0RB
| Formation | 1932 |
|---|---|
| Type | Charity |
| Location |
|
| Staff | 25 |
| Website | www.veterans-aid.net |
It operates from two locations in London: a Drop-in Centre and a head office in Victoria, and a residential home called New Belvedere House in Stepney.[2]
The charity's primary activity is providing services to veterans in crisis. Under its "open-door policy", the charity allows veterans to request assistance for a wide range of needs.
History
Veterans Aid, previously H10 and later The Embankment Fellowship Centre (EFC), was established in 1932 to fight homelessness among military veterans in London, which was largely caused by poverty and unemployment at the time. The charity started life as a canteen and recreation room for destitute ex-servicemen.[3]
The charity was founded by Gwendoline Huggins, whose husband served as adjutant of the Royal Hospital Chelsea from 1932 to 1935.[4] After seeing veterans sleeping on London's streets and along the Thames Embankment, she opened H10, a canteen and recreation room for homeless veterans, in Lambeth, South London, in January 1932.[5]
In 2007, the charity was renamed Veterans Aid, and its focus was expanded to cover most issues affecting veterans in crisis.[6]
The charity's patron is the Dowager Viscountess Rothermere.[7]
Main activities
The charity provides crisis intervention for veterans, with a focus on preventing or alleviating homelessness. The organization provides a range of services, including emergency housing, food and clothing distribution, and referrals to specialized support agencies.[citation needed]
The charity has a "No Second Night Out" policy, under which it assists veterans who seek support.[8]
Subsequent interventions may include counseling, addiction treatment, rehabilitation, debt management, and, where appropriate, access to education, retraining, or acquiring a new skill. Veterans are given assistance to identify employment opportunities and to source homes when they are considered ready.[9]
Veterans Aid participates in the Mayor of London's Life off the Streets program, led by Sadiq Khan. The program assisted 5,455 people between March and December 2019.[10]