Care for Veterans' community choir gets grant to help it grow

Care for Veterans has welcomed a £980 donation towards the running costs for its popular community choir.
Andy Mair from CALA Homes (back row, second left) and Christine Gillott from Care for Veterans (back row, third right) with volunteers and choir members. Picture: David McHughAndy Mair from CALA Homes (back row, second left) and Christine Gillott from Care for Veterans (back row, third right) with volunteers and choir members. Picture: David McHugh
Andy Mair from CALA Homes (back row, second left) and Christine Gillott from Care for Veterans (back row, third right) with volunteers and choir members. Picture: David McHugh

Established in 1919 to support disabled veterans returning from the First World War, the registered charity provides award-winning care and rehabilitation for ex-military personnel.

Based at Gifford House, in Boundary Road, Worthing, the charity and its team of 50 volunteers from the community provide support for physically disabled ex-servicemen and women through long-term nursing, rehabilitation, respite and end-of-life care.

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The choir is a fairly new addition that is proving popular and members have been glad to receive the donation from housebuilder CALA Homes, which is building the Cresswell Park development in Angmering.

Christine Gillott, fundraising officer, said: “Care for Veterans supports around 110 veterans every year and is seen as a centre of excellence in caring for those with acquired brain injury.

“With research demonstrating the benefits of music therapy in the rehabilitation of those with brain injuries, we set up the community choir so veterans and other members of the choir can get together, have fun and interact.

“We’d like to thank CALA for their generous donation, which will allow us to buy new instruments and expand the choir to even more people. The choir is incredibly important as it encourages social inclusion, enables group members to develop confidence and provides independence in a fun and engaging atmosphere.”

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The CALA Community Bursary was launched in February, when organisations, charities and groups across Sussex were invited to apply for funding for projects which make an important difference in the community.

Care for Veterans was selected as one of this year’s recipients, with the money being used to purchase music books and percussion instruments, helping to grow the choir and open it up to more veterans and volunteers in the area.

John Kennedy, managing director of CALA Homes (South Home Counties), said: “When we launched this year’s community bursary scheme, we were keen to hear from local groups and charities across Sussex who carry out important work in the region but were in need of a little additional support.

“As an organisation which strives to support the communities in which we build, we are honoured to support Care for Veterans and to give back to ex-servicemen and woman who sacrificed so much for their country.

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“We hope the funding goes some way towards supporting their new community choir, so that it can go from strength to strength and support even more worthy military personnel in the future.”