Lord Kitchener centre's £1m appeal to continue helping veterans holiday in Lowestoft
Rob Setchell spent the day at the Kitchener's to find out what it means to those who rely on it
A charity which provides seafront holiday accommodation to veterans and emergency service workers has launched an appeal to try to secure its future.
The Lord Kitchener Memorial Holiday Centre was set up in a Grade II listed building in Lowestoft, Suffolk, in memory of one of the nation's war heroes more than a century ago.
It has offered discounted accommodation to veterans and their families for decades but the building, which is now 180 years old, is in desperate need of repair - with the re-wiring of the electrical system and new windows a priority.
An appeal has been launched to try to raise £1m to allow the charity to continue helping veterans and secure the building's future.
General manager Duane Ashworth - whose late son Lance Corporal James Ashworth died in Afghanistan in 2012 and was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross - said: "There are 2.4 million veterans in the UK and Northern Ireland - 300,000 alone in Suffolk.
"All we're looking for is a pound from every veteran - or half of them and that would give us a million pounds.
"If everybody can be part of [the campaign] then we'll reach our target in no time at all."
As well as offering cheap breaks to the coast, the centre also provides fortnightly veteran's breakfasts, armed forces coffee mornings, and Sunday carveries for the community.
Scott Taylor, 55, a former RAF veteran, is one of those who has benefited, and said meeting and talking with other ex-service men and women at the centre helped to improve his mental health.
He said: "This place isn't just a guesthouse. To a lot of us, it's been a lifesaver.
"I don't want to sound dramatic, I don't like being like that, but if it wasn't for this place I'm not sure I'd be here."
Billy Baxter, 61, a former staff sargeant in the Royal Horse Artillery, lost his sight after service in Bosnia in 1996. He moved to Lowestoft from Wales and said Kitchener's helped him to settle in the area.
He said: "I felt at home here straight away. It was like walking through those doors for the first time, this old building gave me a hug."
Phillippa Fisk's husband Jack was based in Lowestoft during the Second World War serving on Navy minesweepers.
Since he died in 2008, Mrs Fisk has been staying at Kitchener's as a way of feeling close to him.
She said: "I feel as though I belong here. I feel comfortable here. I just love coming up here."
Although lots of hard work has been done in recent years to patch up the Georgian building, Mr Ashworth admits it now needs major work.
He said: "Unfortunately you can only plaster and do first aid on a building for so long.
"Our wooden sash windows are rotted through but we are a grade II listed building in a conservation area which makes things doubly difficult. £65,000 is a lot of money for us to find to get that work done.
"Ideally we are looking at just shy of half a million pounds to get all the electrical work done, bringing that up to spec, a new lift [which costs] £100,000, new furniture for the bedrooms.
"The knock-on of the windows being so porous and letting rain in [is] we're constantly having to refresh the curtains, the furniture, the carpets.
"It's just a constant uphill battle at the moment."
"The guesthouse is running at a profit, but unfortunately the maintenance is just sucking it up."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Wales Online
6 hours ago
- Wales Online
RAF Hawk jets in near miss with mystery paramotor in busy air corridor
RAF Hawk jets in near miss with mystery paramotor in busy air corridor The paramotor had not been detected on radar and hadn't notified Air Traffic Control (ATC) of its intentions, with the two RAF Hawk jets coming within 200ft of the motorised glider Two Hawk T2s above their base at RAF Valley (Image: MoD ) Two Hawk jets experienced a close call with an unidentified paramotor while on the "approach lane" for RAF Valley. The paramotor, a powered paraglider, had not appeared on radar and failed to communicate its presence to Air Traffic Control (ATC). The incident, which occurred approximately five miles south of RAF Valley, resulted in the Hawks coming within 200ft of the motorised glider. It all transpired on November 27, 2024 and it was only at a late stage that the crew visually spotted the paramotor. Following the near miss, all aircrafts in the visual circuit were ordered to land due to the uncertainty surrounding the paramotor's flight path. An inquiry into the event has been conducted, culminating in the publication of an Airprox (air proximity) report. Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter here . The report disclosed: "The pair of Hawks came within an estimated 200ft of the para[motor]." It went on to say: "Although the para[motor] pilot was operating within the law, it would be fair to say that they were operating with poor awareness of the hazard of flying in the approach lane of a busy fast-jet base", reports North Wales Live. Additionally, the report noted: "Likewise, the Hawk formation had no awareness of the presence of the para[motor] until it was too late to do anything about it." Article continues below Despite thorough attempts, the pilot of the motorised glider remains untraceable, having been difficult to spot on the day due to a dark-coloured canopy blending with the dark ground below. The report highlighted: "It was clear from the footage that the 'look-down' was not particularly good that day, which likely contributed to the difficulties in seeing the para[motor] canopy until it had passed underneath the aircraft, by which point it was too late to do anything about it." In its recommendations, the report suggested: "Hawk pilots will be reminded at the next flight safety meeting of the potential hazards of para[motor]s on approach to the airfield, and the importance of an effective lookout. Valley AST will be asked to liaise with ATC to determine the suitability of positioning a monitor showing (and perhaps ADS-B) live information to increase ATC's awareness of free flying in the vicinity of RAF Valley." The map shows the near miss over RAF Valley in Anglesey Moreover, the flight safety officer of the local paragliding club issued a directive to club members cautioning them to avoid flying near RAF Valley's approach path. The report also concluded: "It is likely that the para[motor] pilot is not a member of the club and/or a visitor to the area." HQ Air Command commented: "A good spot by the rear occupant of the lead aircraft; however, there wasn't time for the Hawk formation to conduct any type of avoiding action. The event was well managed by ATC in coordination with the Duty Pilot to mitigate any further risks presented by the paramotor. "Continued engagement with local airspace users via the Regional Airspace User Working Group is vital; however, it will be difficult to capture all airspace users, especially those who don't appear to be members of the BHPA (British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association)." The BHPA expressed their concern: "The BHPA is most disappointed to hear about this Airprox which had a considerable adverse effect on RAF Valley's flying operations. We have made extensive attempts at trying to identify this paramotor pilot and, during our conversations with the local BHPA paragliding and paramotoring clubs on Anglesey, we weren't able to ascertain their identity and, therefore, we are almost certain that this pilot is not a BHPA member." They continued, expressing relief that the incident did not escalate: "Consequently, we are unable to add much in the way of a BHPA comment to the incident itself other than relief that a more serious outcome was averted." The association also voiced their frustration over the lack of regulatory measures for paramotor and powered hang glider pilots by the Civil Aviation Authority and Department for Transport. They criticised the current state of aviation regulation: "Paramotoring still remains the only form of aviation in the UK where an unlicensed and uninsured pilot can fly and share the sky with other airspace users having had no formal training on the Rules of the Air, AirLaw, Meteorology, Airspace Classifications, etc., or had any formal flying instruction." Article continues below The incident was categorised as a risk category B (on a scale from A - the most serious - to D). This indicates that the incident resulted in a significant reduction in safety margins, though a collision was not deemed likely.
ITV News
11 hours ago
- ITV News
Lord Kitchener centre's £1m appeal to continue helping veterans holiday in Lowestoft
Rob Setchell spent the day at the Kitchener's to find out what it means to those who rely on it A charity which provides seafront holiday accommodation to veterans and emergency service workers has launched an appeal to try to secure its future. The Lord Kitchener Memorial Holiday Centre was set up in a Grade II listed building in Lowestoft, Suffolk, in memory of one of the nation's war heroes more than a century ago. It has offered discounted accommodation to veterans and their families for decades but the building, which is now 180 years old, is in desperate need of repair - with the re-wiring of the electrical system and new windows a priority. An appeal has been launched to try to raise £1m to allow the charity to continue helping veterans and secure the building's future. General manager Duane Ashworth - whose late son Lance Corporal James Ashworth died in Afghanistan in 2012 and was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross - said: "There are 2.4 million veterans in the UK and Northern Ireland - 300,000 alone in Suffolk. "All we're looking for is a pound from every veteran - or half of them and that would give us a million pounds. "If everybody can be part of [the campaign] then we'll reach our target in no time at all." As well as offering cheap breaks to the coast, the centre also provides fortnightly veteran's breakfasts, armed forces coffee mornings, and Sunday carveries for the community. Scott Taylor, 55, a former RAF veteran, is one of those who has benefited, and said meeting and talking with other ex-service men and women at the centre helped to improve his mental health. He said: "This place isn't just a guesthouse. To a lot of us, it's been a lifesaver. "I don't want to sound dramatic, I don't like being like that, but if it wasn't for this place I'm not sure I'd be here." Billy Baxter, 61, a former staff sargeant in the Royal Horse Artillery, lost his sight after service in Bosnia in 1996. He moved to Lowestoft from Wales and said Kitchener's helped him to settle in the area. He said: "I felt at home here straight away. It was like walking through those doors for the first time, this old building gave me a hug." Phillippa Fisk's husband Jack was based in Lowestoft during the Second World War serving on Navy minesweepers. Since he died in 2008, Mrs Fisk has been staying at Kitchener's as a way of feeling close to him. She said: "I feel as though I belong here. I feel comfortable here. I just love coming up here." Although lots of hard work has been done in recent years to patch up the Georgian building, Mr Ashworth admits it now needs major work. He said: "Unfortunately you can only plaster and do first aid on a building for so long. "Our wooden sash windows are rotted through but we are a grade II listed building in a conservation area which makes things doubly difficult. £65,000 is a lot of money for us to find to get that work done. "Ideally we are looking at just shy of half a million pounds to get all the electrical work done, bringing that up to spec, a new lift [which costs] £100,000, new furniture for the bedrooms. "The knock-on of the windows being so porous and letting rain in [is] we're constantly having to refresh the curtains, the furniture, the carpets. "It's just a constant uphill battle at the moment." "The guesthouse is running at a profit, but unfortunately the maintenance is just sucking it up."
Daily Record
12 hours ago
- Daily Record
Scots 'Birthplace' of modern commandos to become site of new heritage centre
The new centre would sit beside the Commando Memorial, which attracts 100,000 visitors a year A multi-million pound heritage centre could soon rise in the Highlands, paying tribute to the birthplace of modern commando and special forces training. The ambitious plan, unveiled by the newly formed International Commando Heritage Trust, aims to build a 'discrete' centre near the iconic Commando Memorial at Spean Bridge, north of Fort William. Lochaber, long recognised for its dramatic mountain terrain and wartime legacy, played a pivotal role during World War Two. It was here that thousands of elite troops from Britain and its allied nations, including Norway, France, Belgium and Poland, underwent commando training that would shape the future of special operations worldwide. The centrepiece of this training was Achnacarry Castle, the ancestral home of Clan Cameron chiefs, located about 15 miles northeast of Fort William. In early 1942, the castle and surrounding estate were transformed into the UK's first Commando Basic Training Centre. Volunteers arrived at Spean Bridge railway station and marched seven miles through the Highlands to Achnacarry, passing the very spot where the Commando Memorial now stands. Training was unforgiving, involving live ammunition and relentless physical challenges. Those who didn't pass were sent back to their units by the next train south. By the time the centre closed in 1946, around 26,000 soldiers from the UK, US and across Europe had passed through its demanding programme. Many went on to serve with distinction in theatres around the globe. During the war, 1,700 commandos lost their lives and many more were seriously wounded. Eight were awarded the Victoria Cross. Today, the Commando Memorial stands as a powerful symbol of that legacy. Unveiled by Queen Elizabeth in September 1952, it was the result of a national design competition for Scottish sculptors. The winning entry by Scott Sutherland was cast by H H Martyn Ltd of Cheltenham. The 17ft (5.2m) bronze monument features three commandos in full World War Two gear, gazing south towards Ben Nevis. Beneath their feet, the inscription reads 'United We Conquer', with a front-facing plaque that states: 'In memory of the officers and men of the commandos who died in the Second World War 1939–1945. This country was their training ground.' Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Retired Colonel Barry Barnwell of the International Commando Heritage Trust described the region as the 'ancestral birthplace' of all modern special forces units. 'Almost every modern-day commando or special forces around the world, particularly our allied nations and ourselves, can trace their heritage back to training in Scotland, particularly at Achnacarry,' he told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme. The proposed heritage centre would be located just beside the memorial, which currently draws around 100,000 visitors each year. Until recently, the only permanent tribute to the commandos was a small exhibition at the nearby Spean Bridge Hotel, run by volunteers. Now, the trust is working to secure political and community support, as well as backing from military leaders. The Commando Association and Royal Marines Association have already voiced their support for the project, and conversations are underway with potential funding partners.
