A Charity which supports veterans and their families across the North East to move from social isolation into employment has received a cash boost of more than £100,000 to continue providing individual support to Army Veterans.
The grant comes from ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, the Army’s National Charity, and will enable Durham based, Finchale to continue their work with North East Veterans throughout 2017. This follows on from a previous grant made by The Soldiers’ Charity in 2016 which successfully supported over 60 individuals accessing support in areas such as financial assistance, housing, vocational training, CV building, relationships, employment, addiction counselling, mental and physical health assistance, benefits and education.
Veteran Gary from Teesside, served five years with the Green Howards seeing active service in the Gulf, Northern Ireland and The Balkans.
Gary was referred to Finchale via his local jobcentre and interviewed at a local Reservist Centre where his suitability for ABF The Soldiers’ Charity contract was assessed. His mum had recently passed away, which had come as quite a shock and he’d started drinking heavily to provide solace for the issues he was experiencing. As he explains:
‘I don’t sleep, worry spinning round on a pivot of fear. I’m worried about my father; he’s a fish out of water. I just want to get back to normal.’
Gary was offered support and advice with reference to local alcohol misuse provision which Gary engaged with. Following a regular review call to Gary to see how things were going for him, he explained that: ‘things are quite bad at the moment due to being laid off yet again’
At this point Gary worked with the Finchale Veterans Services who provided CV re-write support and supported him to register with Employment Agencies specialising in offshore employment which Gary did. Gary has consequently been able to regularly find offshore employment on the rigs.
Gary at his last review explained that the number of rigs in the North Sea was reducing and that he is interested in re-training to gain an IOSH Internal Auditors course which with Finchale’s support he is confident of achieving.
He also commented: ‘Thanks for making the effort with me and keeping in touch…’
Andy Wildish, Veterans Services Team Manager said: “We’re really grateful for The Soldiers’ Charity’s continued support which will enable us to help even more Army veterans on an individual basis to obtain the support, skills and qualifications they need, to gain the employment they want. Last year we supported over 300 veterans with 158 of those finding paid employment. We are continuing to see an increase in the numbers of individuals requiring support across the region and we are delighted that this will go some way to ensuring that each individual receives the support that they need so that they can access the opportunities they deserve. Without the support of charities such as ABF The Soldiers’ Charity none of this would be possible“
For further information about Veterans Services at Finchale visit www.finchale.org or call 0191 386 2634.
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Notes to editor
Finchale
Finchale, based in Pity Me in County Durham, was founded in 1943 as a rehabilitation and resettlement centre for service personnel returning from active service, and it has retained strong links with the Armed Forces ever since.
The independent registered charity has supported disabled people and those with health inequalities for 73 years by offering specialist support for people with multiple and complex barriers to employment. It works with individuals and families from the Scottish Borders in the north to the East Riding of Yorkshire in the south, and across from Teesside to Cumbria. Finchale works with a wide range of employers and partners of all sizes from across the public, private and third sectors.
Set in 13.5 acres of landscaped grounds, Finchale also offers a wide range of flexible business spaces which can cater for 2-150 people, available to hire from an hour to a full day. Facilities include: 18 fully equipped teaching, training and meeting rooms; auditorium seating for 80-100 people; more than 120 bedrooms (20 ensuite); IT suites; lecture theatre and classrooms; as well as conference, event and banqueting facilities. Services include access to audio visual and laptop equipment, Wi-Fi, as well as catering and parking.
ABF The Soldiers’ Charity
We are the National Charity of the British Army.
We give a lifetime of support to soldiers, veterans and their immediate families, in times of need.
We make grants to individuals through their Regiments and Corps and support a wide range of specialist charities that sustain the British Army ‘family’, both at home and around the world. We take pride in being responsive, making a difference at a critical point in peoples’ lives. We have been doing this since 1944, working with veterans of every conflict, and we envisage continuing doing so for the ‘long haul’ – supporting all future generations of our soldiers and their immediate families.
Each year, we support more than 5,000 individuals and give grants to around 100 organisations which deliver support on our collective behalf.
- Website: www.soldierscharity.org
- Twitter: @soldierscharity
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/soldierscharity
- Instagram: @soldierscharity
For further information please contact:
Katharine Hawking, Social Media and Marketing Officer, Tel: 0191 386 2634, Mob: 07540 963734, Email: katharine.hawking@finchale.org
