09/12/21

Our Smudger has been a busy lad. Working with the amazingly charitable Morrisons staff at their Festival Park store Chris collected 25 selection boxes that they have donated for homeless, vulnerable or those suffering financial hardship, whether veteran or civillian members of our great community. 

03/12/21
 
The covid pandemic took it's toll on us in early December, 3 out of 4 directors were hit really hard and it made our Christmas Cracker function so much harder to stage. But Cinderella did go to the ball and we have a few people to thank for the success against adversity.

Dave and his team at Jollee's Cabaret Venue in Stoke were outstanding as always, not allowing the difficulties at the time affect their service.
 
Nathan and Emma Bate where incredible at the event and really pulled it together for us on the night. Both have joined us more permanently and are the newest addition to our team, with Nathan being appointed as Director of Promotion's and Emma taking the position of Fundraising Consultant from latest Board of Directors meeting. We welcome both and look forward to achieving more great things together.

Chris "Smudger" Smith has recently offered his expertise to the cause and will be taking care of all things logisitics and advising on matters relating to disability. Good to have you on the team.

Thank you for your continued support, we couldn't do what we do without you. 

#STRONGER TOGETHER

 

09/10/21 - 10/10/21

World Homeless Day

Wow what a weekend. Considering Veterans Connect was only born in mid July, we have grown beyond all imagination. The work that the team has accomplished and the help that we have received is nothing less than astounding. 
 

To coincide with World Homeless Day, we met with Jamie and Rachel Richards from AEDDONATE in Stone, Staffordshire who had two Automated External Defibrillator's to present to us. This was made possible by the generosity of AEDDONATE and Councillor Candi Chetwynd of Stoke On Trent City Council. 
 

The AED's are a vital piece of equipment and can mean the difference between life and death. You may have seen in the press that communities around the UK, schools, sports facilities and other venue's have been fitted with the devices to allow for speedy resuscitation which would otherwise be delayed until the arrival of an Ambulance. 
 

Every Saturday morning since our beginning we have carried out a clinic at the Macari Foundation on Regent Road in Hanley, Stoke-On-Trent. The clinics have grown in size, as I am sure you can imagine there has been a period of trust establishment with the guests staying at this amazing homeless facility. This week we have seen an even larger increase in uptake of our valuable nursing clinics ranging from a 999 call, a number of wound dressings, blood glucose checks and others.
 

Jamie Richards from AEDDONATE and Candi Chetwynd from the Council saw first hand how busy the nurse led clinics have become and what a vital role each member of the team has. We were grateful for the attendance of Richard from the press who wanted to cover this excellent and exciting event.
 

One of the AED's will accompany our lead nurse at each clinic should the need ever arise, we'd obviously prefer that this doesn't happen. The other AED is now a resident of the Macari Foundation to be used should any of the guests get into cardiac difficulties. Not only that the AED will go onto the emergency register so that in the event of someone in the community needing the use of the defibrillator it can be reached easily at the centre. 

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Thank you for your continued support, we couldn't do what we do without you. 

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#STRONGER TOGETHER