Healthcare centre for veterans to be built in Gobowen

The hospital trust had planned a more "modest" centre before it received a £6m grant

A dedicated healthcare centre for military veterans is to be built in Shropshire thanks to a £6m grant.

The Headley Court Veterans' Orthopaedic Centre will be built in Gobowen, near Oswestry.

The centre aims to treat veterans in a "familiar" military environment and will also provide welfare services.

It will be built at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital (RJAH) following a grant from the Headley Court Charity.

There will be a cafe as well as a dedicated veterans' hub for welfare support

The hospital trust's chief executive, Mark Brandreth, said the funding meant a "list of dreams" could be provided.

He said: "You start very realistically and pragmatically, but with this we are going to be able to build something which is absolutely world class."

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The hospital launched a £1.5m appeal in 2018 to build what it described as "a more modest outpatient facility for veterans" but then attracted the attention of the charity.

The centre will aim to treat veterans in a "bespoke military environment"

Headley Court was a military rehabilitation centre near Epsom, Surrey, but closed in 2018 when services moved to a new facility at Stanford Hall near Loughborough.

Following the move, the charity's chairman Air Vice Marshal Anthony Stables said it had sought to fund projects that "honoured the legacy of Headley Court".

The centre will care for patients with a range of orthopaedic conditions such as joint problems and spinal injuries, while services will also be available to civilian patients.

The trust will also work with Shropshire Council and military charities to provide support for mental health and PTSD, homelessness, debt, welfare and benefits.

It is hoped the centre will be open by the end of 2021.