Veterans Outreach Support VOS is delighted to announce that General Lord David Richards of Herstmonceux, GCB CBE DSO DL will become our next President on 12 December 2024.
Veterans Outreach Support (VOS) is an award-winning charity that offers UK Armed Forces and Merchant Navy veterans, their families and carers welfare, wellbeing and mental health support in Portsmouth, Gosport, Fareham, the Isle of Wight and across the Solent region.
The charity is also the Portfolio Lead Organisation for the South East of England in the Armed Forces Covenant Trust Fund’s (AFCFT) Thrive Together programme (formerly Veterans Places, Pathways and People – VPPP) aimed at further developing support for veterans, their families, and carers across the region.
The son of an Army officer, Lord Richards was born in Egypt in 1952 and joined the Royal Artillery as a Second Lieutenant in 1971. He completed the all-arms commando course early in his career and served in Singapore, Northern Ireland, Germany, East Timor, Sierra Leone and Afghanistan. He held several command appointments including Chief of the General Staff (GCS) and then Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS).
He will be taking over from Rear Admiral Sir Jeremy de Halpert, KCVO CB, who has been VOS’ President since February 2014.
Lord Richards will bring a wealth of experience to VOS and upon agreeing to become the new President, said:
“Our country owes its armed forces veterans a huge amount. VOS is at the forefront of efforts to improve what we do for them. I am honoured to join such an innovative and vibrant charity.”
VOS is indebted to Sir Jeremy de Halpert, our outgoing President, who has been with the charity for over ten years. His own experience and sage guidance has been instrumental in the charities’ growth and success and for that, VOS thank him hugely. On relinquishing his presidency, Sir Jeremy said:
“VOS has come a long way in the last decade, from a small local service charity to a major regional one, providing the very necessary support and care to our military veterans. It has been an impressive performance, and I wish VOS the very best for the future.”
Welcoming Lord Richards into the new role, Chairman of VOS, John Scivier said:
“Lord Richards’ acceptance into the role of President is testament to the standing that we have within the veteran support space and on behalf of all the trustees, staff and volunteers, I would like to thank him for agreeing to join us. We are very sorry to see Sir Jeremy leave us, but we thank him for being the steady hand on the tiller, the experienced advisor and moreover, an empathetic and caring valued member of our family.”
Lord Richards joins VOS during an exciting period of the charity’s development, as it begins to deliver a programme called Thrive Together.
Thrive Together South East, under the portfolio name “Partnership in Mind,” is a collaborative initiative led by Veterans Outreach Support (VOS) as part of the Armed Forces Covenant Trust Fund’s Thrive Together programme. This initiative focuses on supporting veterans, their families, and carers across the South East of England. By fostering close cooperation among service providers, the programme aims to improve mental and physical health, enhance support for veterans’ families, and build sustainable networks. The strategic plan, developed through extensive public consultation, emphasizes collaboration, capacity building, and holistic support services to ensure veterans receive comprehensive care tailored to their diverse needs.
The above programme will address veteran and family needs in the following counties: Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey, West Sussex, East Sussex, Kent and the Isle of Wight.
