We receive requests for support for Veterans who are sadly having to start again following a period of homelessness or have lost belongings after being a victim of crime or domestic violence.

 We provide Pay-as-you-go smartphones or tablets to enable a broad range of communication abilities as well as access to useful applications for mental health, education and employment searches.

Each phone/tablet is brand new.

We can only provide one smartphone/tablet in any 24-month period.

In situations where communication has become a problem due to a lack of call credit, we may be able to provide a top up to a Pay-as-you-go phone up to a maximum of £20.

We receive many requests for clothing and footwear support ranging from referrals from housing organisations who have housed a homeless Veteran who arrived with little more than the clothes on their back, to Veterans who are ready to return to employment and require interview clothing or specialist work clothing such as protective boots or overalls.

We use a variety of suppliers to fulfil these needs and in most cases, deliveries are made within 48-72 hours. Clothing and footwear provisions are always brand new as we place a high value on the morale boost that such items can bring.

Clothing and footwear provisions are assessed for sizes and colour/style preferences and whilst we cannot provide the top brands, we always try to provide good quality items which will last and be fit for purpose.

The most requested support we provide is for food provisions for those who find themselves in dire hardship. It is not uncommon for us to receive requests for Veterans who haven’t eaten for several days!

Once we have made initial contact and completed our detailed dietary assessment, we can place an order with our chosen supermarket supplier, for an urgent delivery. Each order contains fresh, frozen and cupboard foods as well as toiletries, feminine hygiene products and household products such as toilet paper and washing liquid. We can also cater for pet foods and baby/toddler products as well.

On average, food orders are delivered within 24 hours of our assessment.

In 2020 alone, we placed 644 food shopping orders!

We frequently deal with Veterans who haven’t eaten anything substantial for several days which clearly requires an immediate solution to cover the gap until food shopping provisions are delivered.​

In such cases, we place orders for a takeaway from providers such as Domino’s Pizza or Just Eat, which usually deliver within an hour. Such orders can cater for family needs and will always be tailored to dietary and taste requirements, taking allergies and intolerances into account.

Utility costs have risen sharply over the past few years and when government support ends, they are likely to rise even further. We have already seen a significant increase in requests for help with utility meter credit.

We can apply credit to assist those who are unable to afford to top up at that time or who maybe choosing to go without power in order to have funds for other bills.

For 'smart meters', we will require log in details for the user’s account as well as their permission to access the account and make a payment. These log in details will not be retained by us.

We are also able to assist with pre-payment meters where credit is usually purchased from a Paypoint retailer.

If a payment has been missed on a monthly bill due to hardship, we may be able to make a payment directly to the provider, on receipt of an outstanding bill.

The Veterans Depot is the first and only dedicated Armed Forces Community space in North Devon.

Built by volunteers with funding from B&Q, The National Lottery Community Fund, The Veterans Depot is located at our office premises in the heart of Barnstaple (EX31 2AS).

Sadly, we often encounter Veterans who are struggling to provide enough food for themselves, or their beloved companions. Many will put their dog's needs before their own.

Ziggy's Pantry is a programme of support from The Veterans Charity which can help with food support for dogs and their Veterans, ensuring that neither best friend goes without!

The support which can be provided consists of a comprehensive food delivery including favourite food (wet or dry) as well as treats if required. The items provided are always tailored according to any allergies or tastes.