Your donation to Woody’s Lodge provides crucial help for homeless veterans. They are hungry, unable to pay bills, & critically need housing – every pound counts

Would you be shocked to learn many military personnel don’t always get the help they deserve after serving their country? Spiralling into poverty, hardship, loneliness, sometimes homelessness, often awaits Veterans and Reservists leavers as they try to transition back into normal civilian life. Many are weighed down further by crippling long-term mental and physical health challenges.The heart-breaking truth is those who protect us can find themselves struggling to live a decent life as they battle with the scars left behind from serving on the front lines of war and humanitarian and disaster relief. Is this a reality you want to be a part of?

Welsh Veterans deserve a hero’s welcome home

At Woody’s Lodge, we are a proudly Welsh Veterans’ charity on a mission to change this reality one Veteran at a time by supporting them to access:

Financial help for Veterans

Jobs for Veterans

Housing help for Veterans (including help for homeless Veterans, help for Veterans facing eviction, and emergency housing for Veterans)

NHS health referrals

Benefit and pension applications

Planning social events

We bridge the gap between serving the country and returning home, from combat to civilian life, lending a helping hand wherever needed. But we can’t do it alone. We need your help. Together we can make a palpable difference in the lives of those who served our beautiful Welsh nation!

Immediate assistance for Young veteran Darren during Christmas festivities

To see just how crucial our role is, here’s the story of a young Veteran, Darren (not his real name), who desperately needed our help over the Christmas period. He arrived on our doorstep cold and starving, with nothing but the clothes on his back. Even though it was a bank holiday at the height of the festive season, our team members worked tirelessly and quickly to arrange emergency accommodation for him when most agencies were still on their Christmas break. As the team worked around the clock to find him permanent housing, he was given hot drinks and nourishing food in the company of a fellow ex-military serviceman, who listened to Darren share his experiences.

Darren is given a forever home

After a few days in temporary accommodation, Woody’s Lodge found a permanent place in a Veterans home for the brave young man. With his housing sorted, we then did a thorough benefit review and gave Darren emergency money to buy essential personal items. We kept in touch with him throughout this crisis, listening to him for as long as he needed. Darren is one of our youngest Veterans, and we feel incredibly honoured to have helped him through harrowing social circumstances that left him feeling stressed and vulnerable. We recently got in touch with him again and are happy to report he feels settled in his new home thanks to our dedicated team, and he has a completely new outlook on life. Providing help for homeless veterans is just one of the ways Woody’s Lodge can help you. 

Donations provide help for homeless veterans like Darren

Like all charities, changing the lives of our incredible Veterans is only possible with donations from the public, businesses, and partner organisations. And with the cost of living escalating, we’re experiencing a surge in referrals from military veterans of all ages. For us to continue providing help for homeless veterans like Darren, you can donate here. Every bit makes a difference. 

Woody’s Lodge makes every £1 count

Here’s how we do it: 

With every £1 donated, 97p gets to the front line and is directly spent on support of ex-service people and their families. 

For every £1 cost for our Welfare Team per annum, they deliver £11 in benefit payments to our Veterans. 

With just £10, we can provide a veteran with a bacon/sausage bap, cuppa, and a warm daytime place to stay

£50 will pay for half a tank of fuel for our Veterans minibus

£100 helps towards building tools for renovating a cottage at Penlan Farm

£1000 covers our electricity bill in one of our hubs for 6 months

With £5000, our Veterans enjoy a coach day trip to a memorial site in the UK

You can even help us tackles loneliness and save lives:

Each year, we have around 15 000 visits on a social basis across Wales, ensuring they always have an opportunity to socialise and build lasting friendships.

Since our inception in 2016, we’ve prevented suicides and saved 27 lives through direct intervention. 

Support through it all – from minor to major 

The takeaway from Darren’s story is that you don’t have to face your struggles alone – we are here for you. We encourage all those experiencing troubles, even minor ones, to turn to us for support as you transition from the battlefield to normal life. Don’t wait for the situation to hit a crisis point. We would also like to highlight that you don’t have to be in crisis to use our services. You can come to us for help navigating the benefits system, booking a GP appointment, or attending a fun Veteran social event, where you can meet people from similar backgrounds and build lasting friendships. 

Our biggest fundraising event this year: Normandy Battlefield Tours 2023

Proudly Welsh Veterans Charity 

Woody’s Lodge is a proudly Welsh Veterans’ charity that supports Veterans, Reservists, ex-members of the Emergency Services, and their families through financial, psychological, physical, and emotional assistance. We are inspired by those who once served our beautiful country and show our appreciation by helping them reintegrate back into their communities after distressing experiences. 

Looking for veteran support services in Wales? Our team at Woody’s Lodge is here to help. And don’t forget to stay updated with the latest events, news, and insider happenings by subscribing to our newsletter.You can show your support for Woody’s Lodge by making a donation directly on our website or through our charity cycle fundraising page. Or you can join us as a rider or logistics support on