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VOS are an award-winning local charity supporting veterans, serving individuals and their families from the UK Armed Forces (Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Army, RAF) and the Merchant Navy. VOS operate in Portsmouth, the IOW, Gosport, Fareham and more widely on the South Coast.

Founded in July 2008 after the 25th Anniversary Falklands pilgrimage, VOS began as a peer support group. Founding members Dr Morgan O’Connell, John (Joe) Erskine and David Watts, all Falklands veterans themselves, together with Ann Townsend, whose son was sadly killed in the conflict, wanted to create an informal environment for Service veterans, where they could access a range of support services.

Over the last 4 years, VOS has significantly expanded it’s range of peer-supported wellbeing activities and social groups and has seen increasing demand for its mental health services and support, as well as its work in support of alcohol and substance addiction and dependency recovery. This forms the three pillars for VOS:

1. Welfare can take a variety of different forms – but in essence it is the state of being or doing well; a condition of health, happiness, and comfort, well-being or prosperity. VOS has an in-house welfare officer that can assist with tackling loneliness, signposting, advocacy and support to access what you need in terms of benefits. VOS can offer impartial, relevant and up-to-date advice using DWP and other government agencies and legislation to help individuals make informed choices. As well as supporting veterans, VOS also support their carers, spouses and partners.

2. Wellbeing – VOS run a varied schedule of indoor, outdoor and online activities. VOS are critical for community camaraderie and offer various social groups across Portsmouth and the IOW.

3. Mental health – VOS work with the new Veterans NHS High Intensity Service, calling 111 and advising that an individual is a serving individual and veteran will allow the call handler to direct that person to the most appropriate help. VOS are embedded within the community and work closely with partner agencies (i.e. Age UK, AA, Citizens Advice, Combat Stress, Help for Heroes, SSAFA, the RBL). Knights are also a partner agency!

Knights are delighted to partner with VOS, and allow us to extend the olive branch even further with fundraising events, volunteer work etc. Take a look at their website for more information and how the support across our offices on the South Coast, will directly help this local Armed Forces charity.