VETERANS and their families who live in the Warrington area, are invited to pop-in for a catch-up and brew, at a monthly Help for Heroes Café.
The sessions are organised by Nick Settle, community builder for the charity, on the second Wednesday of every month, at The Engine Rooms, Birchwood Park, Warrington.
Nick said: “We want to create a warm and inviting atmosphere for veterans and their family members, to come along for a friendly chat. We know that veterans welcome the chance to meet with other like-minded people, which can help them deal with feelings of isolation.
“Veterans can sometimes feel they are forgotten by society. And if they’re living with physical injuries, disabilities or mental illness they can become isolated and their mental health can spiral down. We want to do something about that.”
The Office for Veterans Affairs and Family Survey (2022) showed that nearly one in three veterans who live in the UK experience loneliness. It’s estimated there are more than 6,800 veterans living in the Warrington area. The charity supports veterans and their families from any branch of the UK military – regulars or reserves – irrespective of length or place of service, and locally embedded civilians who worked under the command of UK Armed Forces.
Nick added: “There’s no need to sign up for anything. Veterans and their families can just turn up and say hello, meet with other veterans, and find out about other services that the charity has to offer.
“I’m also hoping to find one or two veterans who are interested in volunteering to help build local, resilient networks for veterans and their families, to make Warrington a welcoming place for veterans.”
The café sessions run on the second Wednesday of every month, from 9:30– 11:30am at The Engine Rooms, Birchwood Park. You can find out more information at https://www.facebook.com/events/1411188740730230/1411188744063563/?active_tab=about or by contacting Nick at nick.settle@helpforheroes.org.uk
