Newport Veterans Hub started as a community interest group on the 15 November 2019 and set up as a non-profit CIC Limited by Guarantee on 1 August 2020.
They are open every Saturday 10:00-12:00 and Thursday 13:00-17:00 at Clarence House, Clarence Place, Newport, NP19 7AA. Their drop-in Hub holds coffee evenings where vulnerable veterans can come together in a non-threatening, comfortable environment to socialise, allowing their specialist volunteers to identify those most at risk, offer them wellbeing strategies, and signpost them to alternative therapies and treatments.
In partnership with Newport County AFC and Newport RFC NVH they provide free match day tickets to veterans and their partner or Carer and service children.
They have activity sessions available to veterans and families every Thursday 17:00-18:00 at the Geraint Thomas National Velodrome of Wales NP19 4RB; funding is provided by the National Lottery Community Fund with sessions delivered by County in the Community.
Their aim is to bring veterans out of isolation and give them a place to socialise and make new friends by creating their own support network.
Their organisation is run by a team of volunteers who plan to change Newport Veterans Hub into a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) over the next few months. They support veterans and their families as a unit.
They also have a match day Veterans Hub at the Rodney Parade Stadium for football games and are located within the stadium grounds 2hrs before kick-off for every home game with Newport County.
They take veterans’ or a veteran with their family to watch sport. They support veterans suffering with mental health on a one-to-one basis and will run these days separately.
They also create opportunities for veterans to try and take part in new activities or hobbies they may have not had the opportunity to take part in.
Newport Veterans Hub have a partnership with Veterans NHS Wales.
Damon Rees, Trustee at NVH, will provide Peer Mentoring with Veterans NHS Wales in (ABUHB).
Their aim: Best use of Peer Mentoring to support recovery and improvement of mental health needs of veterans currently on the treatment waiting list.
They are currently sourcing funding for their project supporting mental health in the home and will provide free training in:
- MH First Aid up to LV3
- Trauma Recovery Module with active listening and counselling skills
- 3-day First Aid at work
- 1-day First Aid at work
- FASTT - this is designed to support families where a family member has experienced trauma, by providing tools to support mental health in the home. This will be available to their partners or Carer and service children 14+
You may donate directly to Newport Veterans Hub or for just £10 pcm you can support them via Veterans Raffle