Northern Ireland's veterans to benefit from 'ambitious' fund to support ex-service personnel - Hilary Benn
The Secretary of State says the veterans in Northern Ireland will benefit from “ambitious” government plans to support former servicemen and women through new centres across the country.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has launched a “transformational” veterans strategy – with £27m in government funding now available for local bids to support a network of recognised VALOUR centres.
VALOUR is a government programme giving veterans across the UK easier access to the care and support available to them.
Ministers say the first Veterans Strategy in seven years “will transform government support for our heroes and recognise their invaluable contribution across the country”. They say the scheme was developed alongside the Strategic Defence Review and the Armed Forces Covenant – and commits to a new £12m fund for veteran housing.
1.8 million veterans across the UK will benefit from a new network of local support centres, which “will help improve access to support services such as health, housing and employment, and may extend to finance, wellbeing, welfare and integration into society”, the government says.
NI Secretary Hilary Benn MP said: “I am delighted that the many veterans living in Northern Ireland will benefit from the Government’s ambitious plans set out in the Veterans’ Strategy.
“We have a particular duty of care to those who served the nation, and such comprehensive and tailored support to eligible veterans will quite rightly recognise their immeasurable contribution to our country”.
The NIO has also announced that the Connect Fund has so far awarded almost £400,000 to 12 community projects working in Northern Ireland and across the UK. Among three groups in the latest round is Castle Community Trust project which combats veterans' social isolation.
After visiting the Trust to hear about the benefits of the project for veterans facing social isolation, NIO minister Matthew Patrick said “support is flowing directly into communities in NI and across the UK, delivering positive change by supporting veterans in need, amplifying communities’ voices to ensure they are heard, and combatting gender economic inequality”.