Minister meets local veterans

The Government Veterans Minister, Mark Francois MP, visited the Advertiser today (Thursday) to hear about the work done by the Newark Patriotic Fund.

Mr Francois's visit follows the Newark MP and co-founder of the Newark Patriotic Fund, Mr Patrick Mercer's impassioned plea to Parliament for similar funds to be set up in constituencies up and down the country.

The Newark Patriotic Fund assists wounded Services' personnel, their families and veterans.

Mr Francois met several veterans who had left the Army since losing limbs in bomb blasts in Afghanistan.

He was interested to hear whether they received the same standard of care on the NHS as civilians as they from the Ministry of Defence while still serving.

He thanked the people of Newark for the support they gave to their wounded and said the strength of the fund was that it was able to act quickly without the interference of bureaucracy.

He said that another strength was that local people could directly relate to it because the money it raised went directly to local Services' personnel in need.

The fund holds a drop-in centre at the Advertiser offices on Tuesday mornings.

For more on this story, buy next Thursday's Advertiser.