Welcoming co-working space supporting Royal Navy, Army, RAF veterans and emergency personnel opens in Fareham

The Save A Warrior UK community co-working space has been operating in Fareham Shopping Centre for just over a week. Set up as a Community Interest Company, the organisation supports former personnel suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health afflictions - with the aim of preventing suicide and changing people’s lives.

Co-Director Tom Burgess, who served as a Corporal in the RAF for 14 years, believes the organisation’s work is vital to helping veterans and those who serve as police officers, firefighters and paramedics. He told The News: “All of the memberships which people pay to use the space directly fund and sponsor someone to go through Save A Warrior, so they don’t have to pay for their seat.

“We deliver daily work and weekly check-in group calls. We’ve had a great response from the people who have been through the programme so far. It’s definitely a transformation going through it.”

The 40-year-old said the co-working space gives local business owners, even if they’re not linked to the military or emergency services, somewhere to operate and network with other entrepreneurs. They can get access to free coffee and WiFi, with a podcast recording studio also being set up.

Regular users can sign up for a membership, with the proceeds being used to pay for someone to go through a 72-hour transformation programme at its residential site in Bedfordshire. Beneficiaries are then given a 500-day support plan with regular meetings and follow ups. Mr Burgess said around 2,800 people have gone through the programme, which helps them see themselves as individuals rather than just by their service identity.

“Speaking from personal experience, as I have gone through the programme myself, I’ve been transformed and I’m not the person I was when I walked in,” the Wickham native added. “We help people get unstuck from the things that happened and give them new language in order to make good with the past and move forward without it affecting their day-to-day lives.

“We get right to the problem with ruthless compassion and help them get complete with that trauma.” Since opening, veterans, PCSOs and others walked into the centre to learn more about the organisation and offer their support. Mr Burgess said it was right to open in Fareham Shopping Centre due to the high proportion of former military personnel living in the area, as well as police and fire stations operating nearby.

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“I didn’t have to pay for my seat, someone else picked up that bill, so whoever you are thank you,” Mr Burgess said. “Me doing this work is a way to solve a big problem which is currently in the mental health space. We believe we have a strong cure for suicide and we’re looking forward to growing this and opening it up to more people for years to come.

“People that come in see the suicide prevention sign, but when they learn about what we do as a co-working space and a business support hub, they’re even more intrigued. By opening it up into that space, it's our hope that we’ll be positively lifting the mental health of business owners and stopping people declining that way, as well as supporting those in the service.”

More details about Save A Warrior can be found here. Donations can be made by visiting the website.