Veterans' hub group 'humbled' by community support

Andy Price set up the group in 2017

The founder of a community organisation which was set up to help veterans said the response to a fundraising appeal has been “incredible”.

Andy Price established the Veterans Hub in 2017 and it has had a permanent base in Wyke Regis in Dorset since 2018.

It has five paid employees and a team boosted by more than 20 volunteers – but Mr Price said it has needed to run “month to month” to manage annual costs of £110,000.

But he said a positive response to a crowdfunding page showed Dorset residents were keen to see it continue.

Mr Price told BBC Radio Solent: “The entire team has been humbled by the response. It was going to go one of two ways.

“By putting it out there that we’re struggling, that we could potentially close, one of two things was going to happen: it was not going to bother people or people were going to let us know that, yes, we are an asset that they want to see open.”

The hub has a community allotment, gym and other wellness rooms and offers drop-in clinics and advice services.

“We’re constantly fundraising, we’re constantly chasing the money but we live month to month," Mr Price said.

"As the project has got bigger and busier – with the cost of living crisis at the moment – everything we’re paying out has gone through the roof."

The charity received the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service last summer in recognition of its work.

Mr Price added: “We put everything into keeping that place open. We call ourselves a family and it really is. It keeps us going, we’re passionate about it.”