Cardiff community welcomes Veterans Commissioner for Wales

Colonel James Phillips, the independent Veterans Commissioner for Wales joined veterans and their families, at The Mill in Cardiff as part of his visit to Wales and to see first hand the collaborative success between the Welsh Veterans Partnership, Tirion and Lovell.

The Mill is the fourth community housing project that the Welsh Veterans Partnership has used to provide to those leaving the armed forces with a high-quality home.

The Mill provides a safe community that provides 19  veterans and their families the opportunity to live in new, affordable homes, as well as being provided with wellbeing, mental health and transition support from the Partnership. Most recently, two Fijian veterans, who have served in the Welsh family of Regiments have moved into The Mill.

The Commissioner said, “the work undertaken by the Welsh Veterans Partnership and its collaborative model, looks to embed the military covenant into its work with organisations like Tirion and Lovell, meaning that it can offer a new start to those leaving the armed forces.”

Colm Price, coordinator for the Welsh Veterans Partnership commented, “We’re delighted to welcome Colonel Phillips to The Mill and for him to meet with the veterans living in this thriving community. Through our work with Tirion and Lovell, we have been able to ensure that those leaving our armed forces have somewhere to build a new life outside of the service and The Mill community is one of those places.”

David Ward, chief executive for Tirion Homes added, “The veterans and their families are a great addition to the community at The Mill and they are helping to build an engaged, inclusive community that cares about the neighbourhood in which they live.

“We continue to support the Welsh Veterans Partnership in providing homes where those that have served can positively transition into the next chapters of their lives both at The Mill and our other developments across South Wales.”

The Mill has transformed the former paper manufacturing site into a thriving community of 800 homes. Lovell has completed 358 homes for private sale and Tirion over 300 affordable homes. The remaining homes will be completed over the next year.

Following the success of the veteran community at The Mill, Tirion and the Welsh Veterans Partnership recently welcomed two veterans and their families to Royal Victoria Court in Newport, another development project between Tirion and Lovell to begin expanding the veterans’ community further.

For more information about The Mill Living, visit www.themill-living.co.uk