Consultation launched for new Shropshire Armed Forces Community Hub

Telford & Wrekin Council has made a commitment as part of its recent Armed Forces Covenant annual report to explore opportunities to establish a local hub as a one-stop-shop for support for the local armed forces community.

To identify how best the hub could support serving Armed Forces personnel, veterans and families in Telford and Wrekin, the council is now launching a public consultation, with an online survey supported by face-to-face events around the borough for the Armed Forces community and for the wider public to have a say.

The consultation opens this Thursday (January 16), with the launch of the online survey and a drop-in information session in Dawley. This will be followed by ten further face-to-face information and consultation sessions, open to all.

Councillor Raj Mehta, Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet member for Inclusion, Engagement, Equalities and Civic Pride, said: “Through the Armed Forces Covenant, Telford & Wrekin Council has made a strong commitment to support the armed forces personnel, veterans and their families living in our borough.

“We offer a wide range of support at various locations around Telford and Wrekin, but now want to look at how we can make this a more permanent offer by working with our partners to create an Armed Forces Community Hub, ideally as a Community Interest Company, through grant funding.

“The hub will be a one-stop-shop for our armed forces community, providing support as well as signposting to and helping to access other services, creating a single location, with less travel, less form filling and help that’s tailored to meet local needs. 

"We hope it will also create a social space where armed forces personnel, veterans and families can meet with other like-minded people in a safe environment.

“The face-to-face consultation sessions, and the online survey, are open to all, so everyone can have a say, but we particularly want to hear from people with an armed forces connection, whether that’s serving personnel, veterans or their families, to help us identify exactly what the new Armed Forces Community Hub should offer, and where it would be best located.”

The consultation closes on Tuesday, February 11, after which all feedback will be taken into account to help to develop the new Armed Forces Community Hub.

The online survey can be completed online at online1.snapsurveys.com/b1850f.