A charity that has helped thousands of veterans has taken its campaign to save its base to the doors of the council planning to sell the building.

Tri-Services and Veterans Support Centre works with other organisations to provide vital assistance with issues such as mental health, disability, debt, homelessness and addiction that may affect those who have served their country in the Armed Forces.

During the past seven years the centre in Newcastle town centre has helped more than 10,000 veterans, providing a food bank and opportunities to socialise, and its services remain in high demand. It has been honoured with the Queen's Award for Voluntary Services and Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme Silver Award in recognition of its work.

But the charity is now facing a battle of its own to keep the doors open at Veteran's House in Hassell Street. Staffordshire County Council plans to sell the building and the race is on to raise £120,000 to buy it from the authority.

They have received backing from North Staffordshire billionaire John Caudwell however, who has pledged to match fund donations. Fundraising events have also been taking place and members have been out and about collecting cash.

On Thursday (February 9), veterans and trustees turned out in force at Stafford's County Buildings, where they staged a protest before Staffordshire County Council's full meeting. They displayed a banner and handed out flyers to raise awareness of their plight and the valuable work the centre does.

Kathy Munslow, a case worker for Armed Forces charity SSAFA who provides welfare assistance at the centre, said: "We work with some of the most vulnerable veterans and their families. A lot of people don't understand about post traumatic stress disorder and veterans.

"When they go on deployment they're away for six months or a year and they are in it 24 hours a day. There's no respite and they can't go home.

"I had a chap come in the other day who has been under the NHS for years and he had walked up and down the street outside the centre from 7.30am until we opened, that's how desperate he was for help.

"I sat with that man for over an hour. When he came in yesterday he smiled, and that was such a lift."

Kevin Robinson, one of the trustees at Tri-Services, said the charity had previously put in an offer to buy the building. Members of the council's property sub-committee rejected the £60,000 offer however.

The authority offered them the use of the Knutton Club, Mr Robinson added, but this was later withdrawn. The alternative venue was not considered to be as suitable by the charity as its current venue, which is close to public transport links for service users.

Mark Deaville, cabinet member for commercial at Staffordshire County Council said: "The county council has been supporting Tri Services for seven years, allowing them to use the property on Hassell Street rent free, providing they maintained the building. This was initially for three years, with an option to buy it.

"The council has extended the occupation to allow them more time to raise the funds to acquire the building and this option continues. We recognise the valuable work the organisation does in the local community and have offered advice on finding alternative, more suitable accommodation and we will continue to do that.

"The council welcomes any further expressions of interest. The county council continues to support its armed forces communities and their families across the county through the Armed Forces Community Covenant."

For more information on the centre and to support the campaign visit their website.

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