We are delighted to have raised £859,181 from the government's Op FORTITUDE programme, a new dedicated pathway for homeless veterans.

Launchpad helps homeless and unemployed veterans of the UK's Armed Forces rebuild their lives. Most people they support have been sleeping on the streets or sofa surfing. Many feel abandoned by the country they served and have mental health problems, often related to experiences in service. Almost half have considered or attempted to take their own life.

Launchpad provides veterans up to two years of housing and support, which helps them address the underlying issues contributing to their situation. Their projects in Liverpool, Newcastle and Durham offer self-contained flats, which for many veterans is the first safe space they have slept for months or years.

Op FORTITUDE is a new national housing hotline set up to give homeless veterans a single point of contact to get them the help they need. Op FORTITUDE staff will refer callers to a support network, including housing providers, charities and local authorities.

Launchpad will provide additional, sustained support to homeless veterans across its three projects as part of the programme. They have has also partnered with Healthier Heroes CIC in Burnley. Together they will support 230 veterans for the next two years.

Veterans will have access to combined addiction and mental health psychotherapy, intensive training and employment support, greater access to community activities, and more effective help transitioning to independent accommodation.

This grant takes the total amount we have raised for Launchpad to over £2 million, successfully securing 63% of our grant applications.