MP Applauds Veterans’ Breakfast Club Global Milestone

Graham Stuart, MP for Beverley and Holderness, has congratulated Bilton resident Dereck Hardman, founder of the Armed Forces & Veterans Breakfast Club on its upcoming 300th worldwide club.

The first AFVBC was established in 2007 by Dereck Hardman and since 2014 has been growing to hundreds of associated clubs across the world.

The clubs aim to end isolation amongst veterans, giving them back a sense of belonging, which many lose after leaving the Armed Forces.

“The Breakfast Clubs are a wonderful initiative for veterans, which has now proved popular globally, with clubs across the length and breadth of the UK, and from the USA to New Zealand,” Graham said.

“Dereck Hardman’s hard work has shown that a great idea from the East Riding can grow into something big, helping tens of thousands of veterans across the world.

“I saw first-hand the great work these clubs do in helping veterans when I went along to the original ‘BBC Barker’s Breakfast Club’, now the Hull East Armed Forces & Veterans Breakfast Club. I had a fantastic breakfast and met the inspirational men and women, veterans of all Armed Forces and their families. I’ve been a great admirer of Dereck’s work ever since. I’m looking forward to sitting down with veterans at the new breakfast club in Beverley to celebrate this great milestone,” Graham said.

“We find these informal breakfasts really help veterans meet the challenges we all face on leaving the Armed Forces,” Dereck said.

“Our clubs allow veterans to ‘return to the tribe’ and talk about a range of issues from post-traumatic stress disorder, to family matters, and things like housing and employment.”

“I am particularly proud that this movement was started here in Hull. With our 300th club, it shows we were really onto something all those years ago,” Dereck said.

In early March one of the newest clubs was established in Beverley, with Simon Bailey heading the club.

“We started this new club in Beverley to make it easier for veterans to attend. We’ve been so excited with the interest already. At our very first breakfast we had over 60 veterans sit down, some into the late afternoon,” said Simon.

The Beverley Armed Forces and Veterans Breakfast Club meets on the 1st Saturday and 3rd Sunday of every month from 9:30am at ‘The Sloop’, 46 Beckside, Beverley, HU17 0PD.