Preston Veterans group marks one year of The Sandbags Café

Veterans at St George's Church Sandbag Cafe — Veterans at St George’s Church Sandbag Cafe

Preston Veterans group has celebrated its one year anniversary at The Sandbag Cafe.

The Sandbag Cafe at St George’s Church in Preston city centre is in collaboration between Veterans in Communities (VIC) and the Lancashire Armed Forces Veterans Association.

This collaboration allows the Sandbag Café to effectively reach veterans and provide a supportive environment where they can connect and access assistance.

Kevin Brown, Royal British Legion standard bearer for Walkden, Lytham St Annes spoke about the importance of these events.

He said: “We got together with St George’s Church and we hold our coffee mornings called the Sandbag Coffee mornings every week 10am – 12.30 where you can get a free brew if you’re a veteran, a bacon sandwich for £1 and meet like-minded people, bring them together and have a chat.

“Veterans can become isolated very, very quickly and they are a unique bunch and we even have our own language if you like, there are lots of idiosyncrasies that only veterans can understand.”

The group was set up for veterans to have a space to get out of the house and meet other veterans.

Steve Butterworth, outreach worker for Veterans in Communities, said: “It’s grown, it really has grown. In the first two or three weeks we had no more than 12 and now the maximum we’ve had is 37.”

“I’ve been doing this job as an Outreach Worker for about 14 years nearly since it started, and I’ve seen it half a dozen times where people have actually served together and they’ve been to an event and they go ‘I know you’.

“It’s about is finding people, it’s no different than any other organisation but it’s mainly for the humour and the banter that happens when they come together.”

Veteran Tony Regan, age 86, spoke about the importance of having these events for veterans. He said: “It’s important to have these gatherings and get together otherwise veterans will stay at home and keep themselves to themselves and it’s about meeting friends and talking about the past.”

Veteran George Boothby, age 100, reflected on his time in the Navy and why groups like the Sandbag Cafe are so important.

He said: “I’ve made a load of new friends here. I did myself four years in the Navy serving in the Pacific in the Japanese War and I was present at the surrender at Hong Kong. I fully enjoyed being in the Navy, well part of it, I was very pleased to get back home and back with the people that I know and love.”

Veteran Richard Prock, age 100, said: “This group is very important, and everyone should know what happened in the past as we don’t want the same thing happening in the future.”

The group hold more events for veterans to attend. On 7th May, Mission Motorsports are organising passenger rides for veterans and their families at the Three Sisters Motor Circuit in Wigan.

For more information about The Sandbag Cafe join their Facebook group. And for more information about Veterans In Communities, visit their websites.

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