A community interest company dedicated to supporting the veterans’ community around Morecambe Bay has been handed a £2,240 funding boost from Morecambe Town Council, underpinning their service delivery until early 2025.
Despite having only been formed in September 2023, the Bay Veteran’s Association already caters to one of the largest veterans’ communities in the North West of England, operating out of its drop-in hub at 23-25 Royalty Mall, Arndale Centre in Morecambe. Each month, the volunteer team welcomes approximately 600 people through the doors, providing a meeting place designed to help combat issues of social isolation and loneliness for both veterans and those in the wider community. Facilities and resources such as a pool table, darts, cards, and dominoes are available, with daily wellbeing activities such as boccia, a walking group, ladies’ group, craft group and modelling group organised, emulating the spirit and services of a NAAFI (Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes) by encouraging conversation and collaboration in a warm and safe space.
On awarding the grant Jason Slater, Chair of Morecambe Town Council’s Community Grants Committee, said ‘The Bay Veteran’s Association’s short existence to date has been very hand-to-mouth as far as funding is concerned. With an ever-increasing number of veterans and members of the local community looking to them for support, the Town Council hopes the grant provided will help create some much-needed breathing-space so their tireless volunteers can work further ahead and explore other potential funding avenues without worrying about the immediate day-to-day.’
Gary Kniveton, founder of Bay Veteran’s Association, said: ‘We survive on small pots of funding provided by local businesses and from our continual fundraising efforts so this award will enable us to continue providing our important service until the new year. We’ve now reached our first anniversary and with that comes the credibility and opportunity to apply to national veterans’ charities for further funding.’
Local businesses or individuals keen to support Bay Veteran’s Association should contact Gary Kniveton at gary@bayvets.org