The spotlight was on veterans’ wellbeing and emerging front-line issues when Shadow Armed Forces and Veterans Minister Rachel Hopkins paid a December fact-finding visit to Veterans Aid.
The MP for Luton South was welcomed by VA’s CEO Dr Hugh Milroy who explained how the 90-year-old charity’s Welfare to Wellbeing© model operated and how it played a key role in averting homelessness and addressing crisis.
Dr Milroy said, “It means a lot when a senior politician takes the time to see first-hand what we face almost daily on the front line. These are challenging times and now more than ever it is poverty, not any legacy of military service, that drives many veterans to seek our help. I hope that by spending time in our Ops Room she was able to get a flavour of how desperate some callers are – and how quickly we are able to help, once contact has been made. This week alone we have provided urgent practical financial assistance to three very distressed veterans – in each case within the hour. Our system works, because we put people before process.”
This is the MP’s third meeting with Dr Milroy who was recently appointed a Vice-President of the World Veterans Federation and Chair of its Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs.
Ms Hopkins said, “I want to thank Dr Milroy and his frontline team for inviting me to learn more about the work they do for veterans and their families. It was great to hear about specific success stories and how the team develop strong relationships with veterans. As we head further into winter, Veterans Aid’s frontline support will be crucial in preventing homelessness and supporting people in crisis.”
