One of the UK’s leading military charities, The Veterans’ Foundation, has awarded a further £30,000 to The Viking Boat Company, to support a unique veteran-led initiative to build a replica Viking boat.
This brings the total awarded to the Darlington-based charity to £50,000 to support veterans tackling mental health issues, including PTSD, stress and anxiety, and build confidence and resilience through purpose-led activities.
The 30-foot boat was built by veterans over a couple of years under the supervision of boatwrights and Viking experts, giving their time on a voluntary basis.
It will be showcased at the iconic annual Jorvik Viking Festival in York, which takes taking place 17th to 22nd February.
Visitors will have the opportunity to see the craftsmanship up close, learn about the boat-building project's impact on veterans, and discover ways to support veterans with a variety of mental health and wellbeing needs.
The Veterans’ Foundation was set up in 2016 by retired Major General David Shaw, to raise funds to help charities provide vital support to the UK’s armed forces community. These include those serving, veterans, and their families, with a range of needs, including mental health, physical therapy and rehabilitation, homelessness and education and training.
Since 2016 the Foundation has raised more than £25 million and awarded 1,100 grants to more than 500 small and medium-sized charities and charitable organisations that deliver life-changing projects across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The majority of funds are raised through its monthly Veterans Lottery, the largest single-cause lottery in the UK, that gives winners the opportunity to win a jackpot of £75,000.
Founder of The Viking Boat Company, Bob Marshall, said: “This project is about more than just building a boat. It’s about giving veterans a place to rebuild, connect, and thrive.
“The £30,000 Veterans’ Foundation grant is a significant part of all the funding we have received, so we are very grateful for this support.”
Grants manager at The Veterans’ Foundation, Louise Buchanan, said: “This is a unique initiative that enables veterans to acquire new skills and a purpose that helps them build resilience and cope with often complex mental health issues following their valued service in the UK armed forces.
“We were delighted to be able to support this work and love the results. The veterans who worked on this boat should feel very proud of everything they have achieved.”
