How does The VC Gallery help Veterans?
The VC Gallery strongly believes that art and culture have the potential to improve health, wellbeing, and overall quality of life.
The VC Gallery offer Veterans a safe and friendly place where they can come and openly express themselves through art and through talking with other Veterans and members of staff. The charity is also a welfare and support hub, offering one-to-one support for any Veterans who need support to find stability or need advice about where to turn, to have their specific needs met. The VC Gallery works closely with other military and non-military charities along with agencies to ensure that they can provide Veterans with the best possible support.
Social isolation often plays a huge role in the inability of many Veterans to cope with life outside of their time spent serving in the British Armed Forces. Humans thrive in a caring community of friends and family, not having access to these sources of comfort and help can deprive someone’s outlook of hope. The VC Gallery seeks to bring Veterans into a caring community that they nurture.
When a Veteran first comes to an art workshop run by The VC Gallery, they will be introduced to other Veterans perhaps for the first time since leaving the Armed Forces. Due to the unique nature of life in the British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Marines and RAF, talking about your experiences with the general public is often not possible. Civilians, generally do not share common experiences with Veterans of the Armed Forces. They would most likely be shocked and horrified to hear the experiences that many Veterans live with day-to-day. As such, many military charities, including The VC Gallery have found that Veterans often need to talk to other Veterans to effectively process their past experiences and move forward with their lives.
If a Veteran is going through a tough time due to their Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), finding out another Veteran they know has also struggled with PTSD can help them realise they are not alone and that PTSD doesn’t have to define them. Veterans who have been through the transition from life in the British Armed Forces to civilian life and who have come through the other side can offer uniquely qualified advice to Veterans who are facing the tough transition for the first time. These are just a couple of simple examples of ways that Veterans spending time together can be beneficial. There are many reasons why Veterans spending time with other Veterans often proves helpful to their development.
How has Veterans’ Foundation helped The VC Gallery?
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Veterans’ Foundation has provided over £250,000 in grants to military charities who found themselves hit hard by the effects of the global pandemic. The VC Gallery is one beneficiary of these emergency grants.
Veterans’ Foundation can only give large grants to charities such as The VC Gallery because of the kindness of our supporters. To date, we have given over £4.7 million to over 270 military charities. We want to give more.
Please help us continue supporting our Veterans by donating today or by playing the National Veterans’ Lottery, It only costs £10 a month and you can help change the lives of Veterans in need across the UK.
Thank You.