It was a pleasure to join Veterans Minister Calvin Bailey on his visit to the Royal British Veterans Enterprise team at Centenary Village in Aylesford to mark their recent achievement as the only Operation VALOUR‑approved centre in the South East.
Operation VALOUR is a government programme that directs targeted funding to exceptional organisations supporting veterans and their families, and I am proud that one of these outstanding centres is right here in Maidstone and Malling.
I have long supported the remarkable work RBVE delivers — helping long‑term unemployed veterans with employability, healthcare and housing support — and I am delighted to see their impact formally recognised at a national level.
I thoroughly enjoyed speaking to Lisa Farmer OBE, the charity’s fantastic Chief Executive, along with veterans and stakeholders about how the project will continue to support veterans in our community.
Our veterans embody the very best of our country, and I will continue to champion their needs and ensure they receive the support they deserve.
