Millway House care home in Andover recently welcomed residents, staff and members of the local community to a coffee afternoon celebrating its strong links with the Armed Forces community.
The event was attended by Deputy Mayor and Test Valley Borough Council Armed Forces Champion, Councillor Ian Jeffrey, serving military members and members from the veterans’ breakfast club, providing an opportunity for residents to socialise, share stories and enjoy refreshments in a relaxed and welcoming setting.
One particularly meaningful moment during the afternoon saw resident Phil, a former member of the Pay Corps with a long military career, visited by John, who also served in the Pay Corps. Phil had not been feeling his best and had asked if they could call on him, and the pair quickly discovered they shared connections and knew many of the same people from their time in service. Their conversation lifted Phil’s spirits, and John, who still has links within the Pay Corps, has since offered to reach out to former colleagues on Phil’s behalf.
The coffee afternoon follows Millway House’s recent achievement of Veteran Friendly Framework (VFF) status, recognising its commitment to supporting former members of the Armed Forces living at the home. The VFF helps care homes better meet the practical, emotional and social needs of veterans through enhanced training, resources and community connections.
As part of the accreditation, Millway House meets eight key standards, including recognising Armed Forces status within care plans, addressing social isolation and signposting residents to specialist support such as local Royal British Legion branches and veteran charities.
Millway House was the first of AgeCare Care Homes’ nine properties to achieve VFF status. Four further properties in North London have also since been accredited.
Home Manager Claire Lousteau said: “We’re incredibly proud to be recognised as a Veteran Friendly care home. Moments like seeing Phil and John reconnect show exactly why this work matters. Events like our coffee morning are a wonderful way to bring people together, strengthen community connections and celebrate the lives and experiences of our veterans. The VFF has already had a hugely positive impact on our residents.”
The Veteran Friendly Framework is a collaboration between Royal Star & Garter, Royal British Legion and the NHS Veterans’ Covenant Healthcare Alliance, with funding from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust. The programme aims to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for the estimated 25,000 veterans living in care homes across England.