Charity going from strength to strength with Key Fund backing
A charity with an outlet in South Tyneside is celebrating major growth following vital backing from a social investor organisation.
Veterans at Ease, which has a shop in King Street, South Shields, is being supported by Key Fund.
It provides therapy for serving personnel, veterans, and their families, and received its first grant and loan investment from Key Fund in 2018 to open a fundraising shop in Whitley Bay.
Just a few years later, the charity now has eight revenue-generating outlets across the UK – including five in the North East, of which South Shields is one.
Veterans at Ease uses funds from its network of shops to deliver Neuro-Linguistic Psychotherapy (NLPt) through trained practitioners who are themselves veterans.
Practitioners have previously received support from the charity before becoming qualified therapists.
“The beauty of Key Fund is it gave us just enough to get started,” said Christina Murrell, Managing Director of Veterans at Ease.
“It was a loan against the enterprise – meaning it didn’t risk the charity’s future if things went wrong. Since then, we’ve expanded nationally, and now support almost 500 veterans.
“The demand for our work is incredibly strong – every day we receive enquiries and referrals from those in urgent need.”
Founded in the North East, the charity’s roots are in a region that is home to 22% of the British Army – making it the natural home for the organisation’s mission.
Veterans at Ease supports individuals facing mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression, flashbacks, PTSD, suicidal thoughts, and other combat stress-related conditions.
“Everyone here – whether they’re therapists, paid staff or volunteers – shares the same passion which is to ease the emotional and psychological suffering of every veteran who asks for help,” added Christina.
“This is why we invest in social enterprises,” said Matt Smith CBE, Chief Executive of Key Fund.
“Veterans at Ease is a perfect example of how social impact investment works. Veterans and their families across the UK can now access high-quality therapy, thanks to a sustainable funding model built on community shops.
"This means more people receiving the help they need and a stronger foundation for the charity’s ambitious national plans.”