It will allow the charity to extend its services across the whole Yorkshire and the Humber region
Paul Matson BEM, founder and CEO of Hull 4 Heroes(Image: Hull 4 Heroes)
A prominent Hull-based armed forces charity has been selected to extend its important services throughout the wider region. Hull 4 Heroes, which operates from Princes Quay, was designated by the government as lead of the Regional Hub for Yorkshire & the Humber under the Ministry of Defence and Office for Veterans’ Affairs’ new VALOUR programme.
Yorkshire & the Humber is one of only 14 hubs nationwide that make up VALOUR – a significant UK-wide scheme aimed at simplifying access to appropriate support for veterans and their families at the right moment, regardless of location. The appointment will see Hull 4 Heroes collaborate with other charities, community organisations, local authorities, NHS teams and additional groups to assist hundreds more ex-military personnel and their families who are struggling to adapt to civilian life.
Paul Matson BEM, Founder and CEO of Hull 4 Heroes, was overjoyed when the announcement was made. “It’s amazing,” he said. “It’s the accreditation it gives us, that we are recognised for what we do. And it is a ‘we’. We are a team.
“There are a lot of people that make what we do possible. This is a reflection on all of them and the fantastic efforts they go to.”
To broaden its services, Hull 4 Heroes is set to receive £1m in government funding for the three-year term of the agreement. It will operate alongside the DMWS (Defence Medical Welfare Service), which supports the physical and mental health of serving personnel, veterans, and their families, and the Forces Transition Group Ltd, which leads on employment, training, and pathways into meaningful, long-term careers, to deliver its life-saving support.
To make the programme as successful as possible, Mr Matson is appealing to groups from across North Lincolnshire, North East Lincolnshire and Yorkshire who support veterans in any way to contact Hull 4 Heroes.
“We are calling on charities, community groups, local authorities, NHS teams, employers, housing providers, emergency services, universities, colleges, and veteran-led organisations across Yorkshire & the Humber to join us,” he said.
“If you support veterans and their families in any way – or you want to start doing so – we want to work with you.”
He added that many individuals helped by the charity become volunteers as a means of giving back after receiving support themselves. He said: “The people we help become part of our family, and that is how we want it to be. That’s why so many volunteer, because they want to do for others what we were able to do for them.
“By being appointed as a Regional Hub of the VALOUR Programme, we can now extend that support to the whole of Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire and help hundreds more veterans and their families. It’s a really exciting next chapter for Hull 4 Heroes.”
The VALOUR Programme is funded and overseen by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust.
For more information on Hull 4 Heroes, visit hull4heroes.org.uk
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