Blankets and warm clothes to help homeless Rochdale veterans

To help homeless veterans survive the winter, Councilors Faisal Rana and Iram Faisal organized the donation of blankets, warm underwear and thermal socks to the Rochdale AFC Military Veterans Team.

Manufacturers friends of the married couple donated the clothes and bedding free of charge.

Adam Trennery, who left the Royal Navy in 2016, helped found the Rochdale Football Club Military Veterans squad two years ago.

Trennery said helping homeless veterans is “something close to my heart.”

He added, “Since I founded the Rochdale AFC Military Veterans in 2019, it has continued to grow.

“We manage it as a family. The gifts Faisal and Iram give are much appreciated – especially at this time of year. “

The giveaway follows The Rough Sleeper event which took place at the Crown Oil Arena last weekend.

This charity event was organized by the Rochdale AFC Military Veterans Team with the Rochdale AFC Community Trust, which raises funds for the Trust and Helping Homeless Veterans UK. So far around £ 5,000 has been raised.

Councilor Faisal Rana, who represents the Spotland and Falinge neighborhood, said: “Homelessness among veterans is a significant problem, although it may be hidden. I am very happy that my wife Iram and I were able to sell these clothes to help the unfortunate veterans survive the winter.

The Department of Defense estimated in 2019 that there were around 2.5 million former servicemen living in Britain.

There are no firm estimates of the number of homeless people.

But if the Royal British Legion’s long-standing estimate is applied to the 33,792 homeless requests to councils registered between April 2020 and March 2021, between 1,000 and 2,000 people with training in the armed forces without a consistent roof above their heads.

The numbers represent the Legion’s estimate of between three and six percent of people with a military background who have gone through tough times and have no home to go to.

But that may be well below the actual figure, as some fear that some homeless veterans are being made “invisible” by the way statistics are collected.

Iram Faisal, who also represents Spotland and Falinge, said: “The Rochdale AFC Community Trust and Military Veterans team is an integral part of the region I represent. Faisal and I love to be proud to support the community and so we are happy that we were able to give these gifts at this time, when the temperatures are expected to plunge.

Iram added that “events and gifts like these bring the community of Rochdale together and help make the city a better place for everyone.”

*Their4U funding is available on request to help raise significant funds needed to help those in need.

Trennery’s organization has provided life-changing equipment, surgery, and even helped people access retirement homes.