Figures reveal Gosport and Fareham are among the highest areas for percentage of veterans - who want their prominence marked with bigger events

The 2021 census saw a question about a person’s military background included for the first time, which has revealed that Gosport leads the nation when it comes to the proportion of residents who previously served in the armed forces.

As of last year, there were 7,493 former armed forces personnel in Gosport, which is 12.5 per cent of the population aged 16 or over.

SEE ALSO: Pictures from Portsmouth’s Remembrance Day ceremony

Fareham is fourth in the list of areas ordered by proportion of veterans, with 7,702 across the borough, meaning 9.5 per cent of residents aged 16 or above have served in the armed forces.

Havant is 10th on the list with 6,190 veteran residents who make up 7.2 per cent of the adult population, while Portsmouth is home to 7,660 veteran residents, making up 5.4 per cent of the adult population.

Now those who have served on the front line for their country have outlined how they and other veterans should in turn be better served, with a focus on more social spaces, more housing – and a bigger events to replace recent ‘naff’ local gestures, according to one veterans’ representative.

Afghanistan war veteran Gary Weaving, who founded respite and support group Forgotten Veterans in 2018, said: ‘We would like to see is a lot more effort put into our Armed Forces Days, because it is such a historically rich location.

‘Look what happened this year, they put the effort into Falklands anniversary – and they blew Armed Forces Day. it was absolutely naff – four stalls and bit of music. Everyone was moaning.

‘We need bands, fireworks, no expense spared. This should be Hampshire's pinnacle city for Armed Forces Day. I want to see a real military celebration in the city to rival anyone else. We are perfectly capable.

‘We showed on D-Day 75 what we can do. Let's show the country what we can do.’

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Ian Millen, the CEO of Portsmouth-based Veteran Outreach Support (VOS), agreed and said events should make more of an effort to draw in younger people.

Ian said: ‘We would like to see more made of Armed Forces Day, as has been suggested by some with wider focus on history and education for our communities.

‘Educating others, especially young people, of the part that our armed forces play, and the sacrifices that they and their families have made is a great place to start.’

This year, veterans said they had been ‘let down’ by Armed Forces Day celebrations at the Historic Dockyard, with many feeling that the Falklands 40 commemorations had overshadowed the event.

Portsmouth City Council leader Gerald Vernon-Jackson said it was not a lack of will that curtailed military-focused events – but a lack of funding.

The Liberal Democrat councillor said: ‘We don’t have the capacity to do two big events a year. Unfortunately, there isn’t the money like we used to have. Next year I don’t think we have another big anniversary so there could be more focus on Armed Forces Day. Personally, I would like to do it down on Southsea Common – that’s a big stage.’

Alongside better events, the area needs better social facilities where veterans can feel at home, according to Gary from Forgotten Veterans, which had 73 veterans in crisis stay at its pioneering Fort Cumberland respite site last year.

He said: ‘We need more communal spaces for veterans, some sort of community centre.

‘We used to have (more) Royal British Legion Clubs but a lot of them have been sold off and have increasing civilian footfall.

‘We need a multi-use area, where you can hire the space – council-run alongside a range of veterans would be good.

‘It is clear that having such a large concentration that its needed.’

Speaking to veterans across Remembrance events, many agreed that the area’s veterans clubs need more funding and support.

Attending the Remembrance Day ceremony at the Guildhall, former RAF member Frank Graham, from Emsworth, said: 'I guess one of the things that could be done and hopefully wouldn't cost too much money - some of veterans clubs, the British Legions, the Naval associations, they could have more funding. They can unfortunately be in old buildings.’

But the charity sector cannot do all the work alone, according to VOS CEO Ian, who called on the government to step up to the plate on a range of issues from housing to ID cards for veterans.

He said said: ‘If there’s one thing I would ask of the government, it would be to put more effort into supporting armed forces families in their transition from service to civilian life, especially in housing and accessing other services, such as schools, doctors and dentists. There’s a saying that one person joins up, but the whole family serves, so we have a responsibility not just to the veteran who has left the service, but to their family too.

‘If a family have been regularly moving around the country and abroad, living in married quarters and accessing services provided by the armed forces, it can be quite an adjustment to come to the end of this and to have to start doing all the things that most families do at a much earlier stage.

He added: ‘If I could have a second request of the government, it would that the government delivered on its now long-standing promise of the Veterans ID Card. It’s something that was universally welcomed when announced but has been painfully slow in delivery.’

The census began to record military service after the Ministry of Defence detailed a plan to better understand suicides among veterans, which was in part prompted by The News and our sister papers’ Veterans in Crisis campaign.