Feature

Veterans, pictured left to right: Phil Friend, from Okehampton, Royal Navy; Tim Wharton, Boasley Cross, Royal Army Medical Corps; Derek Crowley, Okehampton, Royal Navy Gunnery Rating; Iain Galston, Okehampton, Royal Logistic Corps

Banter, support and food - the three simple things that make one Okehampton club a lifeline to its members

Okehampton Armed Forces Veterans’ Breakfast Club is still in its infancy, having set up in September 2019 – just before the pandemic. But the number of Veterans attending is constantly rising, proving it is a much appreciated and needed club for former servicemen and women.

With no dress code, no joining fees and meetings free to attend, the only thing veterans need to pay for is their own breakfast at the bi-monthly meetings held at Tina’s Kitchen in the town.

I met up with four Veterans at the cafe, behind The King’s Arms, to find out more about the club - and it was soon apparent that banter was an important part of their time together. Okehampton Veterans’ Breakfast Club is one of 300 breakfast clubs all over the world, providing an end to the isolation of Veterans - the most common denominator in Armed Forces Veterans’ mental health issues and suicides.

Tim Wharton, a Veteran of the Royal Army Medical Corp, who established the Okehampton group, said that everyone is welcome to attend - the only rules of the club is ‘no politics and no religion’ talks. . .which was followed by a five minute discussion on politics! The idea for the Okehampton branch began after Tim, from Boasley Cross, heard about the importance of the Armed Forces Veterans’ Breakfast Club from a friend.

‘My friend said the support and banter was great and there was no difficulty for anyone to fit in to the environment. As Veterans we have been through the same things, we have all been through basic training and we have a shared experience which lead to stories and laughs. A lot of us though have been through hard times and we can come together and have a chat and get stuff off our chests.

‘It’s a big support mechanism and we can help with anything in a nonjudgmental environment - we are here to support.’ Since Covid restrictions have lifted, word spread about the club and it has now grown so much that two meetings are held each month, on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month. Veterans travel to the meetings from Bideford, Torrington, Hatherleigh, Chagford, Launceston, Lewdown, and, of course, Okehampton. ‘Apart from Plymouth and Exeter, we are the only breakfast club in the area,’ said Phil Friend, a Royal Navy Senior serviceman, from Okehampton, and a member of Okehampton Royal British Legion. ‘There are a lot of ex-service personnel who live on their own and they come to the club for company. Clubs like this are so important as there is always someone looking out for another person.’ Phil added: ‘We are all retired or work part time and we also find time outside of the club to meet up - some of us have set up a veterans’ walking group where we get together, chat and have food.’ There’s a theme here!

County councillor Kevin Ball, a Veteran and member of the breakfast club, Cllr Julie Yelland (Mayor of Okehampton at the time of the picture) and Tim

Derek Crowley, a Royal Navy gunnery rating, from Okehampton, said: ‘I wasn’t involved in a lot of combat, but I come here for the comradeship and the banter. What you miss when you leave is the comradeship and relying on the people that you trust. I come here to enjoy the company.’

If you are a military Veteran, you are encouraged to go along and see what the club is about. There is always a warm welcome and a good breakfast served by Tina and Tony. The regular meetings at Tina’s Kitchen are held between 9.30am and 11.30am.

Lindsay Turpin

For more information, join the group on Facebook www.facebook.com/groups/AFVBCOkehampton

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