This article contains wording that promotes the subject in a subjective manner without imparting real information. Please remove or replace such wording and instead of making proclamations about a subject's importance, use facts and attribution to demonstrate that importance.(January 2017) ( Learn how and when to remove this message )
Veterans Aid
Formation
1932
Type
Charity
Location
27 Victoria Square, London SW1W 0RB
Staff
25
Website
www.veterans-aid.net
Veterans Aid is a United Kingdom-based charity that provides aid to former members of the Royal Navy, Marines, the Army, Air Force, Merchant Navy, as well as to their widows and widowers.[1]
It operates from two locations: a Drop-in Centre and Head Office in central London (Victoria) and a residential home called New Belvedere House in East London (Stepney).[2]
The charity's primary activities are providing services to veterans in crisis. Because of its "open-door policy," veterans can seek any kind of help they need. Whether they are at the risk of homelessness or require addiction counselling, their case workers are available to call on specialist services to former military personnel whenever necessary. [3]
History
Veterans Aid was established in 1932 to fight against homelessness among military veterans in London, caused by poverty and unemployment. The organization was originally known as the Embankment Fellowship Centre.
The charity was founded by Gwendoline Huggins, whose husband served as adjutant of the Royal Hospital Chelsea from 1932 to 1935.[3] 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.[4]
In 2007 the charity was renamed Veterans Aid, and its focus was expanded to cover most issues affecting veterans in crisis.[5]
The charity provides crisis intervention for veterans, with a focus on preventing or alleviating homelessness. The organization provides a range of essential services, including emergency housing, the distribution of food and clothing, and referrals to specialized support agencies.[citation needed]
The charity has a “No Second Night Out” policy, where the policy stipulates that the charity will help anybody seeking aid[7]
Subsequent interventions can include counseling, addiction treatment, rehabilitation, debt management, and, where appropriate, access to education, retraining, or the acquisition of a new skill. Veterans are given assistance to identify employment opportunities, and, when considered ready, to source homes.[8]
Veterans Aid is to benefit from Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan’s Life off the Streets programme; this service helped 5,455 people between March and December 2019.[9]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
