£8.5 million to help Veterans who are struggling The government has announced a multimillion pound investment in veterans services in Aldershot. The Prime Minister David Cameron last week said £8.5 million had been awarded to the Aldershot Veterans Accommodation Pathway (AVAP). The cash will underwrite 85 units of temporary, supported and independent accommodation in and around the town, benefiting some 275 vulnerable, injured or sick ex-service personnel. AVAP is a consortium of specialist social housing and support providers, including Stoll, Riverside and the Haig Housing Trust, with Stoll set to receive £4.5 million of the funds and the Haig £4 million. Accommodation will include 25 units of temporary hostel accommodation, 35 units of long-term supported housing as well as 25 units of independent living. The Pathway is designed in such a way that returning or homeless veterans will first attend a hostel unit with intensive support, before progressing to supported housing and finally resuming their lives independent of the Armed Forces. Making the announcement, Mr Cameron said: This government enshrined the Armed Forces Covenant in law to ensure whatever threat they are protecting us from, the debt we owe our troops is never forgotten. l am delighted to announce new funding to support our returning veterans. They are all heroes, and on behalf of the nation, l would like to thank them for everything they do for us both at home and abroad. Mick Jackson House will be the first-step on the pathway. The centre, operated by Riverside, offers short-term accommodation to up to 25 veterans as well as training and education in areas such as money management, health, wellbeing and housing. The much-vaunted Christmas Lodge site, in Evelyn Avenue, will provide intermediary housing once the veterans are ready to move on from Mick Jackson House. Christmas Lodge is a former care home site, that was razed in 2007 and sold to Stoll in October 2012. Plans outlining its vision for the site went on display last month. Finally, a range of independent housing options will then be available to complete the pathway. The announcement comes just weeks after a joint AVAP and university of York report found there was an increasing need in the Aldershot area for greater support for ex-military personnel. Stoll chief executive Ed Tytherleigh, speaking on behalf of AVAP: said The report, to which we all contributed, highlighted the need for veterans housing providers to work closer together, as well as highlighting veterans housing need in the Aldershot area. The AVAP addresses both these issues by providing excellent accommodation and support options to the minority of ex-servicemen and women that have found it tough once transitioning out of the services. We believe this sets a precedent for how services should be provided to this important segment of our population. The money will come from a one-off £40 million Veterans Accommodation Fund, that has been provided by Libor fines levied on banks. Article by James Chapple Star Courier Newspaper Thursday 18th December 2014
Posted on: Sun, 21 Dec 2014 21:03:35 +0000
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