In March the veterans continued to get together at the Civic for another monthly meeting and it was great to see some more new faces, reports Glenn Gibson.
Ill health continues to affect some of the regular attendees and we would like to express our best wishes to any veteran unable to attend.
We look forward to welcoming you back when you return to good health.
We were joined at the March meeting by Shildon Alive who came to discuss any support or additional needs they could help with.
It was also pointed out that it is Shildon Alive who kindly donate the food for the monthly get togethers, which is always greatly received and devoured by those attending. It definitely beats Compo Rat Packs!
Shildon Alive will continue to support the Hub and, to show their appreciation, the veterans donated money collected over the last few meetings and presented the local charity with a bag of change totalling just under £50.
One of the tasks the veterans tried at the last meeting was to apply for the new Veterans Card, which is free of charge.
However, the online process soon became a nightmare, having to set up an online gov.uk account then constantly failing to verify persons. In the end only two managed to get a Post Office verification setup completed.
But the British Armed Forces won’t give up and found a contact to phone and ordered the good old fashioned paper applications which arrived just the other day.
So, in the April meeting, those veterans who want a paper application can collect one on the day, but there are only a limited amount and if needed, more may have to be ordered.
At the April meeting, we will have a visit from Wellbeing for Life who will arrive about 11.30am and provide some information about what they do and how they engage with veterans.
Also, one of the veterans who comes along carries out volunteer work at Aycliffe Bus Preservation Society and after speaking to him at their recent open day, there may be a possibility of holding a veterans meeting one day at that location.
We might even be able to get one of the old buses to pick the veterans up from Shildon and take them through – you never know, so watch this space.
Meanwhile, in other news, the Veterans Hub may be on the move!
Thanks to the town council assisting in negotiations, use of the Resthouse in Hackworth Park for summer meetings have concluded and the portfolio holder for the building has agreed for the veterans to use it.
This will be a fantastic location overlooking the park with its flower beds and open spaces.
The details for use need to be finalised, but it is likely that that the May meeting will be held there.
Shildon & District's local community newspaper.
