A SCHEME to fund projects supporting members and veterans of the armed forces has received £5,000 from the city council.

The money has been put aside to help pay for activities and initiatives which support members of the armed forces both past and present throughout the county.

Councillor Chris Mitchell, who is the council’s Armed Forces Champion and represents the council at the West Midlands Reserve Forces and Cadets Association, will hear proposals for the cash and make decisions jointly with the council’s senior financial officer.

The money will bolster the aims of the Armed Forces Community Covenant, which promises to support serving and past members of the armed forces working and living in Worcestershire and their families.

Cllr Mitchell said: “The armed forces in Worcestershire that I have spoken to are really, really pleased about the money and it has been really well received.

“To actually have a reserve now, money that will be set aside for the various projects, will make it a much quicker process and gives much more flexibility in awarding the money than having to go through a different committee and trying to get the money that way.

“There are a number of ways it can be spent. It could go towards helping a veteran who needs help with housing and the money can go towards helping them in the short term.

“One of the initial projects we are looking to award money towards is for the Vamos Theatre which helps a lot of soldiers with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) through various workshops.

“Without the money they would definitely struggle. It would be unlikely that they could run any of the workshops or shows.

Cllr Mitchell served in the armed forces for 20 years including in Northern Ireland, Iraq and Bosnia and he felt it was important to have the voice of somebody who has served in the decision making process.

He said: “I think it is quite easy to have empathy with veterans but it might be more to difficult to have an understanding.

“I served in the army myself and I always said it was very important to have that voice and understanding there.

“What might seem a small and trivial request to someone else might be huge to somebody in the armed forces and now we can offer them support and get behind things much more easily.”