Fleetwood Army veteran says major shake-up is needed to support all former Armed Forces personnel
“We should be equally committed to ensuring they have the support they need when that service ends.”
A Fleetwood Army veteran is calling on the public to rally behind a campaign demanding a major shake-up in the way former service personnel are supported.
More than 39,000 people have already signed an open letter to the Prime Minister in just three weeks, with Armed Forces charity Help for Heroes calling for the Government to deliver a ‘generational shift’ in support for veterans.
Now, Kevin Gray is urging local residents to add their voices to the growing campaign.
Kev served in the Army for seven years and has issued a special plea to people across the region to add their names, and show the strength of support for our men and women who have served, ahead of the letter being delivered to Andy Burnham next month.
He said: “Many veterans, particularly those injured while serving, still struggle to locate and access the quality healthcare, financial security and support they need and deserve.
“As a nation, we have made a promise through the Armed Forces Covenant, that no-one would be disadvantaged because they served our nation. We are failing to deliver on this promise.”
The open letter calls for the Government to implement the changes outlined in the Charity’s ‘People’s Promise to Veterans’, which sets out practical reforms needed to strengthen support.
Help for Heroes has reported a 30 per cent rise in demand for its services over the past year.
TV presenter Lorraine Kelly CBE, actor Ross Kemp and the former head of the British Army, Lord Richard Dannatt, are among the high-profile names who have signed the letter.
All the latest news and top stories from across Blackpool and the Fylde coast directly to your phone
Never miss a thing. Click here to join
Lord Dannatt said: “Those who wear the Armed Forces uniform accept unlimited liability in service of their country. We should be equally committed to ensuring they have the support they need when that service ends.
“We as a nation made a promise that no-one should be disadvantaged as a result of their service, and now is the time for all of us to hold ourselves to that promise.”
Kev, who is now an ambassador for the Charity added: “Help for Heroes has 20 years of experience, supporting tens of thousands of veterans and families, so we know what needs to be done. With the push to expand our Armed Forces, because of an increasingly unstable global picture, if we don’t get this right now, we’re sleepwalking towards a crisis.”
The letter can be found here: An open letter to the Prime Minister | Help for Heroes