Member Article

Dorset housebuilder “hammers in” its support for Bournemouth veterans

Barratt Homes has been supporting homeless veterans in the region by volunteering its carpentry skills and donating £1,500 to a charity which looks after ex-servicemen and women in the community.

Along with providing a financial boost to Helping Homeless Veterans UK, the Dorset housebuilder sent in a group of its carpentry apprentices to assist with the charity’s latest build project.

The Poole-based Armed Forces charity is converting an empty building in Winton, Bournemouth into six individual flats for homeless veterans. On Monday 10th October, Barratt’s 11-strong team headed over to the site to hang doors and help with other general tasks as requested.

With a cash donation as well as some volunteered manpower, David Wood, Helping Homeless Veterans UK Chief Executive Officer, is extremely grateful. He said: “Our Veterans Build Project will provide temporary accommodation for veterans who find themselves homeless for whatever reason.

“Barratt’s generous donation, along with its volunteer support, means we are well on the way to finishing this important build. This will take away the use of council hostels as well hotels, which comes as a great expense to our charity.”

Barratt Homes is committed to helping organisations which improve the quality of life for those living in the region, and Anthony Dimmick, Barratt Homes Community Liaison Manager, is thrilled to be able to support such a worthwhile charity.

Himself an ex-serviceman in the Falklands War, he said: “Helping Homeless Veterans UK is providing essential support for those who have served our country and who need somewhere to live. We are proud supporters of the Armed Forces and have attracted several veterans into the business through our Armed Forces Transition Programme. We want to help in any way we can.”

Helping Homeless Veterans UK started as a Community Interest Company (CIC) in September 2019. Now a registered charity, it is run by a team of volunteers who dedicate their free time to helping homeless veterans and relies solely on donations.

Barratt Homes is building new homes across Dorset. Committed to supporting local causes in the areas in which it is building, Barratt donates to a different organisation each month, and its employees are entitled to two days per year to take as volunteering days with a local charity of their choosing.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Barratt Homes .