New monthly support sessions for armed forces

New monthly sessions are being launched to provide a welcoming space for members of the armed forces community to meet and get support.

The hub will take place monthly at Wolverhampton's Central Library for serving personnel, veterans, reservists and their families.

It will bring together local services, charities and community organisations in one place, to make it easier for people to get advice and support, from 4 June.

"The armed forces hub is about making sure that the people who serve our country – and the families who stand alongside them – know they have support here in Wolverhampton," said mayor Craig Collingswood.

"We want this to be a place where people feel comfortable coming forward, where they're listened to, and where they can get the help they need without things feeling complicated. It's something I'm very proud to see launched."

After 4 June, the hub will meet on the first Thursday of the month, from 13:00 to 16:00.

It is being run by Stepway CIO - the support charity for armed forces personnel - alongside the City of Wolverhampton Council, and it forms part of the authority's commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant.

Neil Binder from Stepway CIO, said veterans and their families were often passed from service to service, making it difficult for them to access help.

"Through the hub, we can have that first conversation, really understand what's going on, and then connect people directly into the right support," he said.

"It's about working together properly, so people feel supported rather than signposted."

Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.