Lloyd’s Veterans Charity, the 223-year-old military charity for the London insurance market (formerly Lloyd’s Patriotic Fund), has awarded £850,000 to nine organisations supporting former military personnel through mental health and employment programmes.
The grants were approved through the charity’s Tier 1, Tier 2 and Small Grants programmes after review by its Grants Committee. Funding will run for periods ranging from one to three years.
- Care After Combat received a two-year Small Grant for its work supporting veterans’ mental health.
- Building Heroes received a two-year Tier 2 Grant focused on employment support, while The Warrior Programme received Tier 2 funding for two years covering both employment and mental health services.
- Veterans Launchpad and PTSD Resolution each received two-year Tier 2 Grants for mental health programmes.
- Poppy Factory secured a three-year Tier 1 Grant for its employment work with veterans.
- High Ground and Veterans Into Logistics each received one-year Tier 2 Grants for employment programmes. Grassroots, which operates the Stay Alive app, received a one-year Tier 2 Grant for veterans’ mental health support.
Since 2010, Lloyd’s Veterans Charity has awarded £3.86 mn to 47 charities. The organisation works with the Lloyd’s & City of London Branch of the Royal British Legion and the Lloyd’s Military Network to raise donations from businesses and individuals across the London insurance market.
The Corporation of Lloyd’s is the charity’s lead donor. Managing agencies, brokers and market suppliers also contribute to its funding.
Lloyd’s Veterans Charity traces its origins to 1803, when it was established in Lloyd’s coffee house to support veterans and their families. Its current grant programme concentrates mainly on mental health and employment, including projects helping former service personnel return to work or deal with the long-term effects of military service.
London’s insurance market has supported veterans and their families through the Lloyd’s Veterans Charity for more than 200 years. “We work with the Lloyd’s and City Branch of the Royal British Legion and the Lloyd’s Military Network to put the market’s corporate and individual giving to work efficiently by making grants to established charities. We focus particularly on mental health and employment organisations, but support others too”.
Formerly the Lloyd’s Patriotic Fund, the LVC aims especially to fund organisations which have been unable to raise sufficient support elsewhere to meet their potential for veterans and their families, despite their good work.
Lloyd’s Veterans Charity chairman Brigadier Edward Butler CBE DSO said conflict continues to increase demand for support among former military personnel and their families.
When turmoil becomes conflict, military personnel are our front line, both figuratively and literally. That has made the need to provide support to veterans and their families greater now than ever in recent memory.
Lloyd’s Veterans Charity chairman Brigadier Edward Butler CBE DSO
He said the charity selected the nine organisations after a detailed vetting process and expects the funding to support programmes already working with veterans and their families.
Butler also called on companies and individuals across the London insurance market to continue contributing to the charity.
- Sir Charles Roxburgh, chairman of Lloyd’s, said the charity provides a route for the Corporation of Lloyd’s to support veterans and their families as part of its commitments under the Armed Forces Covenant. He also credited the charity’s trustees for assessing organisations before grants are awarded.
- Benjamin Hancock MBE, chairman of the Lloyd’s & City of London Branch of the Royal British Legion, said the branch has worked with the charity for several years through the Lloyd’s Slip Campaign. He said the two organisations support different parts of the veterans community while drawing on funding from across the Lloyd’s market.
- Dom Sweny, chair of the Lloyd’s Military Network, said many businesses in Lloyd’s and the wider London market employ former military personnel. He said the network supports the charity’s work on employment, including programmes helping veterans move into insurance and other civilian careers.
Formerly known as the Lloyd’s Patriotic Fund, Lloyd’s Veterans Charity has supported veterans and their families for more than 200 years.
The charity directs corporate and individual donations from the London insurance market to established organisations, with most grants focused on mental health and employment. It also considers groups that have struggled to secure enough funding elsewhere despite established work with veterans and their families.
