New Sunderland hub for armed forces veterans in crisis opens

The charity, which also has a hub in Roker, is offering counselling sessions, coffee mornings as well as free advice on issues like housing and jobs

Veterans living in Sunderland are being offered extra support with the opening of a new centre.

Charity Veterans in Crisis has opened up a hub in Pallion with the aim of getting more veterans into work.

The hub will also operate as a food bank after the charity saw a 200% rise in veterans asking for help with the cost of living crisis.

Ger Fowler, who runs the charity, said it was also a place for those struggling with social isolation.

The charity, which also has a hub in Roker, offers counselling sessions, coffee mornings as well as free advice on housing and jobs.

The centre on St Luke's Terrace, was officially opened by the city's Mayor Councillor Dorothy Trueman.

'Everybody's suffering more'

She said: "With everything that's going on with the cost of living crisis, the price of everything we are finding more and more veterans who are in work needing help which we didn't really see before.

"Everybody seems to be suffering more and the chances of getting funding is less and less because everyone is after it.

"Transition when you leave the Armed Forces is a big thing, people can join at 16 and leave at 40 and come back to Sunderland not having any friends or family. We don't want them to feel socially isolated."

She added that the charity was not just for veterans in crisis, but those struggling and in need of support.