Helpline for homeless Veterans passes 10,000 mark

Published by Susan Littlemore for Riverside in Housing

A groundbreaking housing and advice service for Veterans has passed the milestone mark of assisting over 10,000 ex-Servicemen and women. 

Since its launch by housing provider Riverside ECHG in September 2000, the Single Person’s Accommodation Centre for the ex-Services (SPACES) has provided a unique service to single Veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

SPACES is the country’s only national housing advice and placement service for Veterans and is part of a twelve year partnership between Riverside ECHG and the Ministry of Defence.

Trevor Morris is Riverside ECHG’s Area Manager for the MoD and an ex-Serviceman himself: “Each day we receive calls from Veterans who are facing the very real risk of homelessness.  I am proud that we have been here to provide housing and advice to so many.  I am also proud that our work means that there are other options to homeless Veterans ending up on the streets.”

In 2010 SPACES was Runner-Up in the national UK Housing Heroes Awards.

In 2012 Riverside ECHG launched The Beacon in Catterick North Yorkshire, which was the second of its national housing and support centres providing temporary accommodation, support and employment training to homeless Veterans.  Along with Mike Jackson House in Aldershot Hampshire, this compliments the work the organisation does at SPACES.

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