Thousands of veterans in Kent will be able to benefit from increased support following the opening of a new support centre in Aylesford today [2 July].
Part of VALOUR, a groundbreaking programme to increase support for veterans, the centre will provide ex-servicepeople with easier access to local services across health, housing, employment and more. It’s one of 14 organisations that have already received a share of over £13m in government funding to help the UK’s estimated two million veterans to get the support they need when they need it. Individuals will also be able to access support online and through a new helpline service that have launched today.
The national roll out of VALOUR marks a major milestone in delivering the 10-year Veterans Strategy, which aims to celebrate and support those who serve and have served. Funding for VALOUR was included in the Defence Investment Plan, which was announced by the Prime Minister this week.
The new centre in Aylesford was opened by the Minister for Veterans and People, Calvin Bailey MBE MP at the Royal British Veterans Enterprises (RBVE), who was joined by local veterans and stakeholders.
Minister for Veterans and People, Calvin Bailey MBE MP, said
As a veteran myself, I know that when you leave the Armed Forces, finding the right support shouldn’t feel like a battle. That’s exactly what VALOUR is designed to change.
Today, opening this first centre with the team at Royal British Veterans Enterprises, I’m proud to say that we are delivering on our promise to stand by those who have stood by our country. Whether it’s housing, health, employment or welfare, veterans in Kent and right across the UK will now have a clear, local point of contact — backed by a system that truly works for them.
Lisa Farmer OBE, CEO of Royal British Veterans Enterprises, said
Becoming a VALOUR-recognised centre marks an important milestone for RBVE and for the veterans we support. No veteran should have to navigate support alone, which is why we welcome VALOUR connecting veterans and their families with the organisations best placed to support them.
RBVE has supported veterans and people with disabilities for more than 100 years by creating jobs, providing homes and building communities where everyone can thrive. That same principle sits at the heart of VALOUR veterans should be able to access joined-up services that reflect the full range of challenges they may face. As part of the VALOUR network, we’ll help reach veterans across the South East, including in some of the region’s most deprived communities, making it easier for more veterans to access the right help at the right time and build stability, independence and a stronger future.
Veterans and their families can access coordinated, joined-up support in three ways in person at one of the first round of VALOUR-recognised centres like RBVE; online through the new VALOUR website on GOV.UK; or through MOD Veterans Services, which can manage more complex cases.
VALOUR is overseen by a headquarters in the Office for Veterans’ Affairs (OVA) within the Ministry of Defence. It will bring together national oversight, regional coordination and local delivery to improve how services work together. The system also includes VALOUR field officers working across regions to strengthen collaboration between local partners, councils, charities and public services.
A second round of funding from the £50m will be allocated over the coming months, with a second wave of VALOUR-recognised centres due to join the system by the end of the year.