Press Release: Brooke House Health and Well-being Centre Awarded £1m Through VALOUR Programme
Brooke House Health and Well-being Centre is delighted to announce that it has been awarded £1 million by the Office for Veterans’ Affairs (OVA) to develop a regional Veterans’ Recognised Centre for Northern Ireland. This forms part of a UK-wide initiative to strengthen support networks for veterans and their families.
Joan Clements BEM, Chief Executive of Brooke House Health and Well-being Centre, said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive this funding from the Office for Veterans’ Affairs. It is a significant recognition of the work Brooke House, and our partner hubs are already doing across Northern Ireland to support veterans and their families.
This investment will allow us to strengthen access to psychological support and trauma-informed care, while developing a coordinated regional network to ensure that no veteran or family member is left without the help they need.”
Background
Brooke House Health and Well-being Centre was established in 2018 to provide specialist therapeutic support for police and military veterans at Colebrooke Park, County Fermanagh. From the outset, the organisation has focused on delivering high-quality psychological and well-being support to individuals who have been physically injured, psychologically impacted or bereaved as a result of their service.
In 2020, Brooke House became a registered company and charity under a newly appointed Board of Trustees.
Our Delivery
Since inception Brooke House has developed a comprehensive range of services grounded in a bio-psycho-social model of recovery. Central to this approach is the provision of psychological support, including evidence-based interventions designed to address trauma, improve psychological health, overall well-being and long-term recovery These services are complemented by a range of therapeutic nature-based therapies including horticultural, music and creative arts. A truly unique element of the Brooke House service is the structured residential programme which is individually tailored to the needs of the client and their family and can include a combination of services and interventions.
Brooke House was subsequently invited by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (AFCFT) to lead the Thrive Together programme in Northern Ireland. Following extensive consultation, the organisation developed a regional network of support hubs, creating accessible, community-based services for veterans and their families.
These hubs provide a tiered range of support, from early engagement through drop-in sessions and coffee mornings, to welfare advice, specialist services and pathways into mental health and well-being support.
In addition, Brooke House has trained a network of befriending volunteers who work across Northern Ireland to engage and support socially isolated veterans and their families, helping to reduce isolation and improve overall well-being.
Brooke House Health and Well-being Centre was also recognised at the Northern Ireland Veterans Awards in November, receiving the Health and Well-being Award.
VALOUR Programme
This new funding through the VALOUR programme will enable Brooke House to build on its existing psychological and well-being services and further develop a coordinated regional framework of support. The Veterans’ Recognised Centre will strengthen access to trauma-informed care and expand provision to include areas such as housing and employment advice, working in partnership with statutory and third-sector organisations.
Brooke House is uniquely positioned to lead this initiative and continue to enhance the psychological support and recovery pathways available to veterans and their families across Northern Ireland.
Further details on the VALOUR programme are available in the Office for Veterans’ Affairs (OVA) press notice.
Media Contact
Brooke House Health and Well-being Centre