New Veterans Hub set to open in Ballymena offering dedicated local support

Veterans Support Group Ballymena Chairperson, Councillor Lawrie Philpott

Wednesday 26 August 2026

A new dedicated Veterans Hub will open its doors in Ballymena tomorrow, creating a permanent local place where veterans and their families can access support, guidance and friendship.

Veterans Support Group Ballymena (VSGB) will officially launch the new facility at 62a Church Street on Thursday 27 August, serving veterans and their families from across Ballymena and the wider Mid and East Antrim area.

The Hub is intended to provide a safe and welcoming place where people can seek help, connect with others and, importantly, find someone willing to listen.

A permanent place for veterans in Ballymena

For VSGB, tomorrow’s opening will mark the realisation of its ambition to establish a dedicated base in the town from which support can be provided locally.

VSGB Chairperson Lawrie Philpott said:

“Today we are delighted to see our ambition become a reality. The opening of this Hub will be a safe, welcoming place where veterans and their families can find support, friendship, and someone who will listen.”

Having support available locally means former members of the Armed Forces and their families will have a dedicated point of contact in Ballymena, while also being connected with a wider network of services.

The new Church Street facility will provide a physical base in the heart of the town for those seeking support, advice or simply the opportunity to connect with others who share similar experiences.

Ballymena joins Thrive Together network

Mugs at the ready!

The Ballymena Veterans Hub is the newest addition to the Thrive Together Network, coordinated by Brooke House Health and Wellbeing Centre.

Brooke House is a Fermanagh-based charity which seeks to support and improve the physical and mental health and wellbeing of serving and retired members of the British Armed Forces, Police, Prison and Emergency Services.

Its work also supports their families and carers across Northern Ireland, Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland.

The Thrive Together network is funded through the Armed Forces Covenant Fund (AFCF).

Through Ballymena’s inclusion in the network, veterans and families across Mid and East Antrim will have a local route through which a range of support can be accessed.

Joan Clements, CEO of Brooke House, said:

“We are delighted to attend the opening of this important facility for the veteran community in Ballymena and the broader Mid and East Antrim area. It will enable a range of muchneeded services to be accessed locally by those most in need.”

Support, friendship and connection

Inside Ballymena’s new veteran support hub

Beyond access to services, the new Hub will also provide something important for the local veteran community — a place to meet, build friendships and maintain connections.

For some former service personnel, moving from military into civilian life can also mean leaving behind the close networks and shared experiences that formed an important part of their time in service.

The new Ballymena base is intended to provide a welcoming environment where veterans and their families can make connections, seek guidance and find support when they need it.

VSGB will continue working with Brooke House, local partners and volunteers to strengthen the support available to those who have served and their families.

When the doors open tomorrow at 62a Church Street, Ballymena and the wider Mid and East Antrim veteran community will have a dedicated local base — providing a place for support, friendship and connection for those who have served and the families who have supported them.