News
May 14th 2020
VETERANS GATEWAY LAUNCHES NEW APP TO SUPPORT ARMED FORCES COMMUNITY
Veterans Gateway
Veterans’ Gateway, a 24-hour point of contact for veterans’ support, has recently launched a new app enabling any ex-Service personnel who are in need to get help from the palm of their hands.
Veterans’ Gateway is a service which launched back in 2017, in response to Lord Ashcroft’s Veterans’ Transition Review. It acts as a point of contact for veterans, their families and carers who are in need of support, particularly from the charity sector. The service is funded by the Armed Forces Covenant Trust Fund, which receives an annual grant from the Ministry of Defence and is delivered by a consortium of charities.
Using a smartphone or tablet, the Veterans’ Gateway app helps veterans find organisations within their local area to help with issues such as finances, housing, employment, relationship, physical and mental health. The directory groups all NHS facilities across the country, and over 2,000 charitable organisations, allowing veterans and their families to access local support.
Minister for Defence People and Veterans, Johnny Mercer, said:
“I’m delighted this new app is now available to support veterans. It provides helpful location-based signposting to the support and current services that are available. We want to make the UK the best place in the world to be a veteran, and that includes a digital future where every veteran can easily access the support they need at the touch of a button.”
Northumbria University has developed the app alongside American based software designers Ripplenami. Associate Professor of Mental Health and Veteran Studies from Northumbria University Dr Matt Kiernan PhD said:
“This is the first time that this type of mapping technology has been available on an app. We are proud that through this excellent collaboration we have been able to create something bespoke to the veteran community. It will benefit veterans and their families as they use it and it will allow us to better understand the needs of the veteran community across the UK and use that information to develop future services.”
For more information on Veterans’ Gateway, or if you are in need of support, visit www.veteransgateway.org.uk, call 0808 802 1212 or text 81212
The Veterans’ Gateway app is available on the Apple App Store and Google Play
To see how to use the app view the YouTube video
To see other Veterans related news click here.
Minister for Defence People and Veterans, Johnny Mercer - "It provides helpful location-based signposting to the support and current services that are available. We want to make the UK the best place in the world to be a veteran"
