Work of volunteers supporting Northumberland’s veterans praised by minister

Former army officer Louise Sandher-Jones was at the Prudhoe and District Veterans Club on Thursday to meet local veterans.

It comes after Northumberland County Council, working alongside the Northumbria Veterans’ Network and a range of local partners, secured almost £1 million in Government funding to create “groundbreaking” armed forces support hubs across the county.

Northumberland is one of just 14 areas across the UK chosen to help pioneer the £50 million VALOUR network – a new national initiative designed to connect local charities and councils with a dedicated Ministry of Defence headquarters, with the aim ensuring “that no veteran is left behind”.

The council say the £986,000 will “significantly enhance support for the local Armed Forces community”, with support on issues such as mental health and access to housing.

Speaking at the event, Ms Sandher-Jones explained the importance of the support and why Northumberland’s bid was chosen.

She said: "There’s lots of amazing things being done out there for veterans, it’s just amazing what people are doing because they really care. For veterans, it can be quite difficult for you to know where to go when you have a problem.

“Veterans can face a range of challenges that can be either as a result of our service – I will say that the vast majority go on to fantastic things after. I’m better off for having served, it really sets you up for life – but some people go on to have challenges.

“We really want the VALOUR programme transform access to community help and support. It needs to be a place where you as a veteran feel welcome and close to other veterans.

“Nobody can speak to veterans better than other veterans. That’s why it’s really important that we’re partnering with local organisations like here in Prudhoe.”

Northumberland County Council has led on the bid on behalf of a consortium of nine other partners. The consortium includes five partners that are Armed Forces led (Veterans at Ease, Prudhoe Veterans Club, The Submariners Association, RBL Rothbury, and Veterans for Veteran Care), and the other four having experience of supporting the Armed Forces community.

At the heart of this initiative will be the creation of three new Armed Forces Support Hubs, strategically located across the county. These hubs will help form a fully coordinated county-wide network, offering a single, welcoming point of contact for veterans, serving personnel, and their families.

The hubs will provide easy access to localised support, expert advice and a wide range of activities covering health and wellbeing, housing, finance, employment and education.

Alongside the physical hubs, the project will also invest in enhanced outreach and digital support, ensuring that those who cannot attend in person are still able to access the help they need quickly and easily.

Prudhoe and District Veterans Club has a meeting room at the Prudhoe and District United Services Club – known locally as The Legion – filled with memorabilia and providing a safe space for the area’s ex-servicemen to meet and access support. The club is set to be one of the new hubs under the VALOUR scheme.

Ms Sandher Jones continued: “As a veteran myself, I feel back in a military environment – I can feel it, even the sofas are military. We’re very proud to where we can think we can solve all our problems ourselves, but we can’t.

“I think the passion that comes through here, speaking to the team, is absolutely wonderful. Look what they’re doing already.

“We have got good employment support, but lots of people don’t know. These hubs will be a one-stop shop.

“These guys put in a really good bid. They are all working together super well, they’ve got expertise, and the passion shone through.

“They have a really great plan about what they want to do with the money. It was quite important to me that we helped support areas where public services in general aren’t as good, so outside the big cities in rural areas where we have seen public services dry up.

“The key thing for me is for any veteran, if they have an issue – go to VALOUR. Come and check it out.”

There are an estimated 14,500 veterans residing in Northumberland.

Caroline Richardson is the chair of the Northumbria Veterans Network and one of the founders of Prudhoe and District Veterans Club.

She said: “I started this in September 2023 because there was nothing in the area for veterans. My husband is a veteran and he needed to be around other veterans.

“We raised £8,000 to do this room, including putting in some of our savings. That’s how i started. We now have 240 members.

“We help with mental health, housing and even things like taking them out shopping. It’s a lot of different aspects.

“This room is their home – it is full of their memories. Anybody who walks in this room, it’s safe.

“The greatest thing about veterans, and also their downfall, is their pride. They can be too proud to ask for help.

“It’s an amazing amount of cash. It is something that has been needed for a long time.

“There’s a lot of fantastic services out there. This way, we can pull them together and make a difference.

“It is needed and it’s fantastic that Northumberland County Council got it.”

MP Joe Morris, who represents Prudhoe as part of the Hexham constituency, also attended the event. He said: “It was great to welcome Louise to Prudhoe today.

“With such a strong armed forces community in Prudhoe, it was great to show the minister not just the existing work that is taking place to support veterans, but the wider community in Prudhoe that supports veterans. I am incredibly proud to represent such a strong community and I want to particularly congratulate Caroline Richardson for her tireless commitment to supporting veterans and the wider Prudhoe community.

“I also want to thank the Ministry of Defence and the Government for backing West Northumberland with this funding.”