"At the Veterans Hub our mission is to provide a bespoke and immediate service for veterans, their families, and those still serving, within the local community when they need it the most." The founder of this project made the decision to form the Hub after being diagnosed with CPTSD in early 2017 following more than a decade of deployments; as a British Soldier and Private Contractor, to various countries in the Middle East & Northern Africa. Following several years of self-medication and minimal support from anyone else, he was encouraged by loved ones to seek out professional support after suffering a breakdown in his mental health. Even though he was lucky enough to find help through a local service, it was clear that due to the unprecedented number of veterans in the UK suffering from mental health and physical traumas, the mainstream charities were very quickly becoming overwhelmed and that those in crisis could often find themselves having unreasonably long waits to receive much needed assistance, and in the worst-case scenarios, even forgotten about. In addition to this, local health services were woefully underfunded and ill-equipped to deal with the unique problems that veterans and their families can be faced with. It was through these realizations that the idea of The Veterans Hub was formed and by 2018, a full-time project was opened in Weymouth, Dorset. By maintaining the core values of the British Armed Forces, the team at the Hub has created a unique place for veterans, and their families to go to in times of crisis, or just to be around other veterans, in a relaxed and supportive environment. Onsite there is a purpose-built gym, allotment area, private garden, second hand shop, community café, and multi-agency welfare office. All the above is free to access for veterans, their families, those still serving, and is accessible 6 days per week. Lastly, The Veterans Hub, above all things, brings together veterans within the local community in order that none of them are ever left behind or forgotten about, and it really is a place where people find friends they never knew they had.
