- Veterans to benefit from increased support as
part of the new £50m VALOUR support system.
- Minister for Veterans and People opens
first VALOUR-recognised centre in Aylesford,
Kent and launches new online and helpline service.
- VALOUR programme delivers on the government's
10-year Veterans Strategy which recognises veterans as
a national asset.
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, MBE MP at the Royal British
Veterans Enterprises (RBVE), who was joined by local veterans and
stakeholders.
Minister for Veterans and People, 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 to 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.
ENDS
Notes to editors
