Support network aims to help thousands more veterans

A support network that has helped former soldiers find work, access specialist services and combat isolation is hoping to reach thousands more veterans across Gloucestershire.

The HIVE, which stands for Help, Information, Volunteer and Exchange, is funded by Forest of Dean District Council and brings together veterans, serving personnel and their families.

British nuclear test veteran Captain Terry Hughes says it has been a lifeline: "I've been coming since the first one and I think they're excellent."

Organisers now hope to raise enough money to take that help directly into communities, particularly in rural areas where veterans may be harder to reach.

Andrew Embling, co-founder with Wilde Earth Journeys which runs the HIVE, said the network had already helped many veterans who sometimes find it difficult to get support.

It meets once a month offering veterans, their families and serving personnel a range of free support services from charities including pension, health and employment advice.

"We've had individuals come in who have been coached through different services like Help for Heroes on creating CVs and having some work coaching and getting back into employment," he said.

"One of the things we're keen to do is work with local employers so that they can understand that there's a community out there of perhaps younger veterans who are looking for work."

The HIVE was created as part of the Armed Forces covenant, where civilian organisations have pledged support to veterans and their families.

Organisers say many veterans are unaware of the support available to them, while others can struggle to navigate services after leaving the armed forces.

Embling said that understanding the needs of the community is crucial to its success: "It's sharing the information and also hearing people's stories to understand how we can meet their needs.

"We can't always do that at the same time but we can listen and understand and signpost where we can. "

Wilde Earth Journeys is part of a partnership looking at raising up to £1m through the government's £50m Valour programme to plug gaps in veteran support throughout Gloucestershire over a three year period.

According to the last census in 2021 there were 27,418 armed forces veterans living in the county, with almost 4,000 in the Forest of Dean.

Captain Hughes has already benefited from the HIVE and has reason to do so.

He is one of the British Nuclear Test Veterans who are still campaigning for an independent tribunal into the tests he was exposed to in the 1950s which led to a range of health problems for him and his son.

He's been getting help and support since the HIVE started.

"We didn't know anything about the support groups at the time.

"I've actually called on two of them and they've helped. They're very, very good."

The support extends beyond veterans themselves.

For Kathryn Kalenczuk, attending meetings has provided an insight into a part of her late husband's life that he rarely discussed.

Zbigniew Kalenczuk was awarded the Military Cross and American Bronze Star for service towards the end of World War Two in Italy, but he rarely talked about his time in the army.

Kathryn has started coming to the HIVE meetings to connect with other members of the military.

"It's hearing that other people have stories and how they deal with them, because my husband never talked about it," she said.

"Some of these people are able to talk, and although they might have been in the navy or the army, it gives you an insight from different people and different opinions."

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