Avondale House – One Year On

Launched in August 2013, Avondale House is an initiative by the AF&V Launchpad charity, offering subsidised rental accommodation exclusively for service veterans and their partners making the transition to civilian life.

Avondale House has proved to be more than simply a place for veterans and their partners to live while looking for civilian jobs; it’s a community of friends living on the Byker Estate with a common purpose: to look after themselves, seek employment and establish their own businesses, contributing to the wider community in Newcastle.

Residents helped clean Killingworth WWII memorial prior to ceremony to remember fallen soldiers

Launchpad’s latest figures show that even after only a year, Avondale House is already reaching its goals in regard to alleviating homelessness and increasing employment opportunities:

• Previously homeless residents: 51
• Previously unemployed residents now self-employed: 1
• Residents participating in employability-improving education or training: 35
• Previously unemployed residents now in employment: 20

In addition, Avondale House residents are genuinely engaging with the initiative and their community – and demonstrating significantly improved life-skills:

• Residents taking responsibility for and mentoring other veterans: 14
• Residents participating in community-based projects: 17
• Residents showing and improved ability to manage personal finances and avoid debt: 8

Residents of Avondale House maintain the Forces’ mantra of "healthy body, healthy mind" with free fitness and wellbeing classes, open days and community events

Avondale House residents are making the most of – and contributing towards – the community, which is helping them to demonstrate improved self-confidence, self-reliance and resilience and allowing them to actively engage in planning their own futures on Civvy Street.

Find out more about Launchpad

Thanks to the partner organisations that assist us:

AFV-Launchpad receives £171k grant from the Big Lottery Fund

It is with great pleasure that the AF&V charity, AFV Launchpad, took receipt of a cheque for £ 171,288 from the Big Lottery Fund today. AFV Launchpad helps those vulnerable armed forces veterans returning to civilian live in Newcastle.

While in uniform, support for servicemen and women includes planning for accommodation and job search, however, all support ceases once they have left the Forces. Those who leave early may have only had a month or two with the Forces after leaving school and so are unprepared to find employment, accommodation. Older veterans have become dependent on the Forces providing them with meals, accommodation, clothing and financial budgeting. Many are slow to plan for leaving and don’t take full advantage of the support while it is offered when they are still in uniform.

AF&V Launchpad supports such veterans. The charity offers accommodation at Avondale House on the Byker Estate reserved solely for veterans and their partners where they are offered training, work placements and job search skills. They are also offered skills in cooking, welfare, benefits, GP and dentist registration, financial management and developing social networks through sport and volunteering.

David Shaw, Chairman of AF&V Launchpad, said: “The Big Lottery Fund grant that Armed Forces' & Veterans' Launchpad has just been given is hugely important - it enables the charity to pay for the manager of Avondale House in Newcastle for the next five years as well as provide some much-needed training facilities.  Through close partnership with the Byker Community Trust, Launchpad has provided 34 refurbished flats to veterans of the armed forces and their partners in Newcastle, in Avondale House, on the Byker Estate.

“The new manager will run the house, developing good connections with partner organisations, ensuring the house is full of residents, helping the residents with financial and social matters, as well as ensuring the infrastructure is well maintained.  Working with other organisations in the public, private and third sectors, the new manager will assist the veterans in finding permanent jobs and accommodation. Veterans will also receive training to ensure they stand as good a chance of finding jobs as they can.

“Since opening in August 2013, over 40 veterans have used, or are using, the facilities and assistance provide by Launchpad through Avondale House. Given that about 10 per cent of members of the armed forces come from the North East and then return home there, and given the number of applicants Launchpad has already experienced, there is no doubt that many veterans will benefit from this project in the future.  As a consequence of the creation of Launchpad and thanks to Big Lottery funding, fewer veterans in the North East will suffer homelessness, unemployment and social exclusion.”


For more information visit the AFV Launchpad website