Veterans Aid is a charity based in the United Kingdom that has a primary goal of providing aid to former members of the Royal Navy, Marines, Army, Air Force, and Merchant Navy, as well as to their widows and widowers.

It operates from two locations in London: a drop-in centre and a head office in Victoria, and the residential New Belvedere House in Stepney.

Under its "open door policy", the charity keeps itself accessible to all veterans seeking assistance at all times.

History

Veterans Aid, originally dubbed H10 and later The Embankment Fellowship Centre (EFC), was established in 1932 to fight homelessness among military veterans in London, who were affected by poverty and unemployment at the time. The charity started as a canteen and recreation room for destitute ex-servicemen.

Founded by Gwendoline Huggins, whose husband served as adjutant of the Royal Hospital Chelsea from 1932 to 1935. After seeing homeless veterans in the city and near the Thames Embankment, she opened H10 in January 1932 at Lambeth, South London.

In 2007, the charity was renamed Veterans Aid in order to more accurately reflect the work it performs.

The charity's patron is the Dowager Viscountess Rothermere.

Main activities

The charity provides crisis intervention for veterans, with a focus on preventing or alleviating homelessness. The organization has many services, including emergency housing, food and clothing distribution, and referrals to specialized support agencies.

Subsequent interventions may include counselling, addiction treatment, rehabilitation, debt management, and, where appropriate, access to education, retraining, or acquiring a new skill. Veterans Aid has initiatives to identify employment opportunities and to find homes for veterans.

Veterans Aid participates in the Mayor of London's "Life off the Streets" program, led by Sadiq Khan. The program assisted 5,455 people between March and December 2019.

See also

External links