22/06/2026
📣IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT📣
The Veterans Hub Weymouth & Portland CIC are delighted to announce that we have received a significant grant from the Veterans' Foundation to support our community cafe and pre-loved shop who work alongside our welfare office and we would like to thank them for their generosity.
Staffed, principally, by volunteers, the pre-loved shop and cafe are often the first places that veterans or their families visit when they need help. Often a browse round the shop or a brew in the cafe will be the first step any of them make towards reaching out and a friendly, non-judgemental, chat with our staff, volunteers and other veterans, or their families, will often be enough to encourage them to go into our welfare office to get the assistance they need.
If veterans or their families are struggling financially, pre-loved clothes, bedding and homeware will often be a lifeline for a small donation, or free it that is needed, and the cafe's Pay it Forward scheme ensures that nobody in need goes without a drink and a hot meal free of charge. We have many veterans who visit regularly and if they are absent without reason our welfare office will contact them to ensure they are OK.
The community cafe welcomes everyone, veteran or civilian, whether they want to sit and chat all day, grab a quick coffee and a few moments peace and quiet or reach out to another comrade who understands what they are going through. The Hub cafe has been described as comradeship, a safe place, belonging, family, brotherhood, respect, approachable, non-judgemental and life-saving.
The generosity of the Veterans’ Foundation will go a long way to make sure that we can keep these vital services open and work to ensure that no veteran, serving person or their families will ever feel they have nowhere to turn.
A soldier's story:
Veteran A is an ex-army sergeant. After leaving the forces he struggled with his mental health. Unfortunately, he did not reach out for help as he thought it was unmanly. After three attempted suicides, in 2022 he sought help and was diagnosed with PTSD. By this time, he had massive family issues and felt everyone would be better off without him. He was referred to the NHS, High Intensity Service, as he was a danger to himself and his family. He still felt suicidal and was referred to the Veterans Hub. On his first visit he broke down, as he felt for the first time that people understood him. ”They gave me mental health therapy, support with my personal life including accommodation and help with all aspects of my life. They called me every day to make sure I was safe. They made me feel like someone cared. If it were not for the Veterans Hub I would have been on the street and I am sure I would have taken my life. The Hub embraces you and makes you feel normal. They are like my family. I am beginning to see a future for myself and, with their help, I am sure I can make it. In time I would love to be back with my family, have a job and support the Hub in any way I can.” He now gives peer support to veterans visiting the Hub to ask for help, maintains the hub garden, helping veterans grow vegetables and plants to support their mental and physical health, and helps in the café kitchen, all on a voluntary basis."
Jane Gurney, CEO, Veterans’ Foundation said, "Veterans can face many challenges after leaving service and having a welcoming place where veterans and their families can come together, share experiences, find friendship and access support can make an enormous difference to people's lives. The Veterans Hub Weymouth and Portland has created exactly that kind of community; somewhere people feel understood, valued and connected. We are delighted to support their work and help ensure that this vital support remains available to those who need it."
