Isle of Wight hotel The Veteran offers homeless help

The Veteran, on Ryde Esplanade, is a popular forces-themed venue with a large public bar with 13 rooms of accommodation for homeless veterans. 

Working in partnership with their other charitable venture, the Veteran's Lounge — a hub for ex-forces people in Ryde High Street — its founder, and co-director of The Veteran, Dale Hillier, discovers some of those in dire need of accommodation.

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Dale Hillier, a co-director of The Veteran, and Fiona Gwinnett, of Community Action IW — both veterans themselves — are working in partnership to help the Island's homeless ex-forces. (Image: County Press)

They hear about homeless veterans through word of mouth or via their Facebook pages for both venues.

It a far cry from two years ago when Dale bought a van and transformed it into a mobile hub for veterans — going around the Island, offering a place to chat over a cuppa.

Dale said: "We set up The Veteran specifically for homeless veterans, who we can house temporarily, until they get the help they need."

Accommodation for homeless forces veterans at The Veteran, Ryde. (Image: County Press)

They have also extended their offer to veterans of the 'blue light' services, such as firefighters, police officers and ambulance crew. 

Since The Veteran was established in December 2022, they have taken in 18 homeless veterans.

Managed by Dale and co-director, Ronnie Boynton, who hold the lease, with an option to buy, they also provide free respite holidays for any forces veteran, who has been through, or going through, trauma. They have provided more than 50 holidays.

The Veteran has more than 2,000 followers currently on Facebook — and even more on the Veteran's hub page.

But the team's main focus is on the homeless and making sure it is not an issue affecting Island veterans.

Dale Hillier, who served in The Falklands War in 1982. (Image: County Press)

Wayne and Jo Wright were accommodated at The Veteran having been threatened with eviction from their Wootton home. (Image: County Press)

Wayne Wright is disabled and struggling to find alternative accommodation for his family. (Image: County Press)

"Zero per cent homelessness for veterans on the Isle of Wight. That's the important thing," Dale adds.

It is also vital they get help, once they are taken in.

This is where community resilience co-ordinator for the Ryde area, Fiona Gwinnett, of Community Action Isle of Wight — an RAF veteran — comes in, signposting service people to further support.

"We aim to provide much more solid and sustainable help for veterans on the Island — but particularly for those who pitch up at The Veteran," Fiona said.

"The cost of living is hitting everybody, but difficulties in service life compound problems in veterans seeking help."

Forces veterans are sometimes their own worst enemy — their pride in asking for help a barrier to receiving it.  

Last Friday, an army veteran got in touch with Dale. He was about to pitch up his tent on Shanklin Beach, but decided to call and, within half an hour, was in one of The Veteran's rooms.

Also last week, in desperation, disabled ex-soldier Wayne Wright asked Dale for help.

The ex-Royal Navy man, a veteran of The Falklands War in 1982, welcomed him and wife, Jo, in after being served an eviction notice to leave their rented home in Wootton last Tuesday.

Wayne, 65, with serious multiple health issues, returned home after eviction was delayed until June 4, giving him a two-week stay of execution to find alternative accommodation.

Wayne said:  "We've hit rock bottom. It's all a mess. Dale has been brilliant for taking us in. Without their help I don't know where we'd be." 

Help available if you're a struggling forces veteran

• Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA) — they provide advice and assistance to those eligible for help, free housing advice. They also provide some housing facilities. Call 0800 2606767.
• Royal British Legion — provides advice and support to those who are homeless or face becoming homeless. They also provide advice and guidance on how to make a housing application to the local authority and can support challenges to statutory decisions on grant funding, housing allocation and eligibility. Call 0808 802 8080.
• Shelter — provides help for veterans and service leavers facing homelessness. In addition to general services available to people who are homeless, some services provide housing advice and support specifically to veterans and service leavers who are at risk of homelessness.
• Veterans Gateway — they provide help and assistance if you are homeless, or in danger of becoming homeless. You do not have to be sleeping rough to be eligible. 
• Op Fortitude — funded by The Armed Forces Covenant Fund. It provides a centralised referral pathway into veteran supported housing. The team works with individual veterans at risk of or experiencing homelessness. It supports them with finding suitable accommodation or maintaining their current home. Call 08‍08 80‍212‍12.
• Veteran UK — Veterans housing advice for ex-servicemen.
• Cobseo: The Confederation of Service Charities — The Cobseo Housing Cluster is made up of a wide range of charitable and social housing organisations that provide veteran-specific accommodation. This ranges from specialist hostel and supported housing projects for those with a specific need to family accommodation in assured and assured short-hold tenancies. Email: enquiries@cobseo.org.uk
• Office for Veterans Affairs — Advice for veterans seeking general housing advice.
• Isle of Wight Council — housing advice for armed forces veterans. Contact: Housing Solutions Team  01983 823040.
• The Veterans Hub Isle of Wight CIC — helps to relieve the hardship faced by veterans, currently serving personnel and associated family/friends who have a direct connection with the Isle of Wight, either past or present, in respect of finance, trauma, isolation and well-being. Call: 1983 615426, or email: info@veteranshubiow.co.uk

Fiona, also a wedding and funeral celebrant, hopes The Veteran will host forces-themed weddings and funerals, but attracting government grants and local business sponsorship are being explored.

If you can help, phone Dale or Ronnie on 01983 611313.