By Chris Gee – Local Democracy Reporter
Armed forces veterans sleeping rough are to be offered ‘fast track access’ the region’s Bed Every Night programme.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham announced the change on a visit to a veteran’s hub in Wigan which has been held up as a ‘national example’ of how to deliver support services for veterans.
Greater Manchester’s Armed Forces Community HQ, close to Wigan town centre, is one 14 veteran support centres across the UK which will receive up to £1m each to act as a single point of contact for veterans.
They are the first such government-funded veteran centres, offering support services such as health, housing, employment, finance, wellbeing, welfare and integration into society.
The metro Mayor was joined by Secretary of State for Defence, John Healey in Wigan and the two met veterans, staff and supporting volunteers.
Bed Every Night is the Mayor’s charity, which aims to achieve change for the vast numbers of people experiencing homelessness and rough sleeping across Greater Manchester.
Mr Burnham said: “A Bed Every Night and it has supported hundreds of veterans because nobody who served our country in the forces
should ever be sleeping rough.
“We know we’ve more to do to make it better so we’ve expanded a bed every night to 650 places.
“I’ve asked the team to create a fast track access route for veterans so that we don’t have the situation where anyone is forced to sleep rough for a prolonged period.
“We’ll keep working hard to do it. “I’d like to get to more dedicated homeless provision for veterans, that’s what we’re working towards.”
RAF veteran Dean Hook, 54, is one of the veterans who uses the centre, where he also volunteers.
He has endured poor mental health and alcoholism, but has been sober since 2015.
He said: “This centre has the right people at your side who you can talk to.
“I hated opening up to people, I thought ‘are they taking the p*ss out me?’.
“But I can talk to people here, because it’s for veterans, many have been there themselves.
“I could have easily harmed myself, I’ve often thought about it.
“I could be in jail or a mental institution but I’m not, I’m here.”
Mr Burnham said that Greater Manchester is the country’s strongest recruiting ground for the armed forces.
He said: “All 10 of our councils, the police force and fire service are rated as gold standard under the armed forces covenant.
That is our commitment back as a city region to the people who served our country.”
Speaking about the Wigan veterans’ hub he said: “When people have served the country and put themselves in dangerous positions in harm’s way it’s critical that when they come back we give them everything they need to rebuild their lives and then to have as good a life as possible.
“I remember when I was MP for Leigh after Afghanistan and Iraq when people came back, the support just wasn’t there.
“There was no safety net and many people fell between the cracks. “The mental health support in particular, just was not good enough.
“What happened in Wigan was it was seen and responded to with this investment.
“Wigan council provided this building and the volunteers and everyone who works here has turned it into something truly wonderful.
“It’s an exemplar for the country.
“It provides whole person support, meeting people where they are.”