Norcare

Centre to help “homeless

Friday, November 12

A NEW centre to help some of the hundreds of homeless war veterans across the UK was opened today in Newcastle upon Tyne.

The centre will be the first of its kind north of London and will help veterans who are homeless and suffering with mental health issues, alcohol and drug problems and family breakdown.

The Norcare Veterans’ Centre has been set up by housing support charity Norcare to help the growing population of ex-servicemen and women that struggle to adjust to life when they leave the Forces.

The centre was officially opened by The Lord Mayor of Newcastle with special guest Thomas Sivell, a 104-year old veteran who has served in the Far East as well as in the Second World War.

The Norcare Veterans’ Centre will offer supported accommodation in fully furnished en-suite rooms as well as outreach services such as training and employment support, welfare and debt advice, family liaison and counselling, health and wellbeing programmes and specialist help for issues such as trauma.

Susan Bickerton, Norcare chief executive, said: “There is a hidden army of veterans that are slipping through the support net and ending up homeless or suffering problems with alcohol or drug addiction or mental ill health. Many struggle to adapt to life outside the Forces and are reluctant to ask for help when they fall on hard times.

“The Norcare Veterans’ Centre is designed specifically for people from the Armed Forces, providing the specialist support services that they need in an environment in which they feel comfortable.” 

The centre has been set up in a converted private house in Newcastle and aims to recreate a home from home for veterans many of whom will be used to the family feel and camaraderie of communal living.

The Norcare Veterans’ Centre has residential spaces for a total of five veterans who are expected to stay for between six and twelve months and will be supported to move on to independent living.

It will also offer an outreach service to other veterans in the area and expects to help up to 75 veterans a year. Norcare will bring in experts from a variety of other organisations to provide the range of specialist support needed to help the veterans.

The Newcastle centre has been set up as a pilot and it is hoped that other centres in other cities across the North East will follow.

The Norcare Veterans’ Centre was established at a cost of £700,000. The British Legion provided £232,000 over a two-year period for the operational costs of running the centre, Norcare is investing £200,000 in the project, and the Futurebuilders England Fund has loaned Norcare £219,000 plus an additional grant of £47,000.