UK DOCKS staff have donated a van full of help to the North East’s Veterans In Crisis, Sunderland (VICS), ahead of Christmas.
Veterans in Crisis founder Ger Fowler leads the unloading flanked by UK Docks’ John Lally, Emma Bryson and Stephen Lee.
The VICS, a community-interest company, has won awards and recognition for helping hundreds of former servicemen and women who have struggled since leaving the Forces.
And Christmas is often the time of year when their services are most needed.
Staff from UK Docks Marine Services in South Shields and their families held a charity collection in the run-up to the festive season.
And a van full of donations, mainly food and toiletries, has now been unloaded, box after box, at the VICs office in Roker Avenue, in Sunderland after six weeks of collections.
Stephen Lee, operations director at UK Docks, said: “What Veterans in Crisis do, led by Ger Fowler, is commendable and nothing short of amazing and we at UK Docks wanted to help them again this year just as we did last year.
“Day-in, day-out, they act as an emergency service for people who have given so much for their country and now need help in return.”
UK Docks, which supplies marine services regionally, nationally and globally, including to the Royal Navy, has built much of its success over the past 30 years on the contributions of former members of the armed forces.
Earlier this year, UK Docks received the Armed Forces Silver Award for its supportive work, to go with the Bronze Award received several years ago.
The UK Docks’ team with Ger Fowler outside the Veterans In Crisis offices in Roker Avenue, Sunderland.
Stephen said: “It’s a cause close to the heart of many of us at UK Docks who have been lucky enough to take the skills we learned in the forces and put them to good use when we’ve returned to civilian life.
“Others haven’t been so fortunate and they need a helping hand, which is what Veterans In Crisis has done so well in recent years.”
Former serviceman Ger Fowler, who founded the organisation in 2017 and recently won the Freedom of the City of Sunderland for his efforts, helped unload the donations alongside Stephen, UK Docks’ office manager Emma Bryson and technical manager John Lally.
Mr Fowler said: “It was great to see the boxes from UK Docks’ filling up our offices - though it was also a reminder of why we are looking to expand our premises in Roker Avenue in 2025!”
“A community interest company like Veterans In Crisis is very reliant on donations of support and the generosity of others.
“It all gets used to help others, and it can make such a difference, I think, especially at this time.
“This year, we plan to supply 150 Christmas dinners, plus a gift, to ex-service people.
“Contributions from local companies help to make that possible, and at Veterans, we always look to use local companies so that money goes back into the community.”
Anyone who would like to support Veterans In Crisis, or needs help, should contact general manager Claire Lawton either by dropping into the centre at 1 Roker Avenue in Sunderland or by calling (0191) 567 1878.
