Island Veterans Support Proposal Discussed in Westminster

The Isle of Wight’s Armed Forces Champion has made significant progress in his quest to secure improved support for local veterans following further talks in Westminster.

Councillor Ian Dore recently met with the Veterans Minister’s team alongside Isle of Wight West MP Richard Quigley to discuss proposals linked to the Government’s VALOUR programme.

The programme aims to simplify access to support for veterans by linking local services, charities and councils into a single, coordinated national network.

Central to the discussions was the potential creation of a dedicated veterans support centre on the Island, connected to the wider Solent veterans’ network.

The meeting highlighted the challenges faced by Isle of Wight veterans in accessing mainland services. While a VALOUR centre is being developed in Portsmouth, it was stressed that ferry travel, cost, and isolation present significant barriers for Island residents.

Councillor Dore has been pushing for improved provision since the opportunity first arose. Talks continued later in the evening with Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces, Al Carns.

Mr Carns, who holds the Military Cross, DSO and OBE, engaged positively with the proposals, with discussions continuing in the Strangers bar. Councillor Dore also met Lord Coaker, a supporter of the VALOUR scheme, and MP Tan Dhesi, chair of the defence select committee.

The Isle of Wight is estimated to have around 7,200 veterans, but currently has no permanent, professionally governed multi-agency support centre backed by the local authority.

“This has been in development since October last year and shows how important persistence is with processes like this. There is a huge amount of research and groundwork required too," said Councillor Dore.

"Progress takes time, as relationships are built and nurtured, with this being my second trip 'up town', to fly our flag, as we have continued to make the case that the Isle of Wight requires its own dedicated support.

“I’m grateful to Richard and the Minister for jacking up the meeting, and to Al Carns who spearheaded and launched the VALOUR scheme in the first place. All who were engaged listened carefully to the concerns, and for Al, as a veteran himself, he understood the challenges we face.

"They were very positive discussions, building on the work Richard and I have been doing for some time now. We are now in a position to take this to the next stage, so it's best boots forward."

The proposal would bring together local authority oversight, partner organisations and clearer referral pathways under a more structured framework.

As well as the meetings at the Ministry of Defence and in Westminster, Councillor Dore attended a Royal garden party hosted by The Not Forgotten charity, where he met Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal at Buckingham Palace.