Lord Mayor of Portsmouth David Fuller throws support behind military retreat project Forgotten Veterans at Fort Cumberland in Eastney

Those are the words from the Lord Mayor of Portsmouth Councillor David Fuller as he visited charity Forgotten Veterans which built a military retreat at Fort Cumberland to help veterans get back on their feet.

Cllr Fuller said: ‘It is the first time I have been here and I am amazed at the work the charity is doing. 

‘These people work with such passion to help veterans and I have such respect for Gary and his team for getting people together and supporting them when they need it most.’

The charity opened the facility in November last year.

Chief executive of Forgotten Veterans Gary Weaver said: ‘It is amazing to get support from the Lord Mayor because what we do is very important.

‘I myself had some suicide issues and I found that there was nowhere or no one to turn to. Our centre is very unique as we offer help to veterans in crisis no matter what the time and we offer support past that as well.’

The project, launched in conjunction with Historic England, allows veterans to camp out at the fort to help their recovery with trained support staff on hand, the opportunity to share experiences with other like-minded individuals, as well as providing a strong network of support to fend off isolation and loneliness.

The centre is made up of transformed casemates – fortified structures from which guns used to be fired – and includes a safe room, kitchen as well as communal area with pool tables, television, game stations and sofas.