Veterans Aid homelessness specialist confirmed in post
The ending of a unique partnership between two veterans' charities was happily resolved when de facto Head of Outreach, John Boyle, was confirmed in post as a permanent member of staff.
CEO of VA Dr Hugh Milroy said, "For 17 years John's post at VA had been funded by SSAFA Central London as part of a mutually supportive working relationship. When that funding ended recently, we were delighted to confirm him as a VA asset and Head of the frontline Operations Team that he has effectively been leading for so many years."
Mr Boyle , a qualified social worker, started working with Veterans Aid on an immersive basis in 2006, two years after joining SSAFA, and has been a key player in VA's delivery of its signature Welfare to Wellbeing© model.
He said, "The arrangement worked well thanks to the SSAFA Central London Chairmen Sir Peter Jennings, and subsequently, General Robin Searby. SSAFA has chosen to go in a different direction now, but I will always be grateful for Peter and Robin’s vision of authentic partnership and belief in VA’s work. So, it’s an exciting time for me as I am totally committed to the VA ethos and look forward to carrying on the excellent work with the amazing team at VA. It’s so rewarding to be part of an organisation whose work is being acknowledged across the globe. VA continues to go from strength to strength and our exceptional performance during the pandemic only confirmed our leading edge in the field."
Dr Milroy said, "John Boyle's expertise and depth of knowledge about homelessness, its causes and the pathways out of it, is second to none. I would describe him as one of the top specialists in this area and in the 17 years that he has been attached to VA he has helped transform the lives of hundreds of ex-servicemen and women. John's calm demeanour, extensive knowledge of the system and affability have made him a popular member of the VA team and while I am sorry that funding for his post is no longer forthcoming, I am grateful to SSAFA Central London for their vision and support in enabling him to join us."
