2021 Winner
Claire Wright and Chris Squires
Veterans set up a charity to help former servicemen and women, and former members of the emergency services, struggling with civilian life.
Claire, 46, and Chris, 37, both had difficulties with their physical and mental health when they left the Navy and Army. This inspired them to offer help to other veterans, to prevent anyone from feeling alone as they had.
They set up Trafford Veterans in 2015, to lend support to veterans and former emergency service personnel who are struggling or feeling isolated, as well as their families and volunteers who help them.
They started the charity with little more than a table covered with leaflets about support available. Since then, their organisation has blossomed to include a breakfast club, a model and craft group, a walking football team, an allotment group and a regular community drop-in session.
They also provide information, advice and guidance to get veterans in Trafford back into employment, and help with referrals to mental health services. Claire, from Stretford, said, “At our first veterans’ breakfast we had about 30 people. There were more than 117 at our most recent one.”
Over the past year, they’ve been helping their community of veterans, aged up to 99, cope with lockdown and its aftermath providing welfare checks, food parcels and hosting online events.