ARTIST, Veteran and VC Gallery Founder, Barry John MBE, was welcomed by Chair of the Welsh Affairs Committee and Local Preseli MP, Stephen Crabb to present proof about the function of the Veterans’ Commissioner in Wales.
In the proof session hung on Wednesday 14th June, members of the Welsh Affairs Committee, which is a cross-party group of parliamentarians, Barry John MBE, Graham Jones, CEO of Woody’s Lodge, and Stephen Boswell, Regional Head of Wales SAFFA addressed concerns about the charitable services they offer, and the difficulties they confront with the shipment of veterans’ services throughout Wales, and their interactions with the Veterans Commissioner for Wales.
Barry had the ability to talk about the VC Gallery’s function in the regional neighborhood throughout the County, its operate in developing its series of imaginative assistance services, and experiences of regional interactions with other public sector service providers, such as Hywel Dda Health Board, and Pembrokeshire County Council.
The Welsh Affairs Committee likewise heard straight from the Veterans’ Commissioner for Wales, Col James Philips, about the Veterans’ Commissioner’s operate in providing the UK Government’s Veterans’ Strategy Action Plan in Wales to much better comprehend the viability of services presently being supplied to veterans in Wales.
The Veterans’ Commissioner for Wales ‘2023 Priorities report’ mentions that around 115,000 individuals in Wales reported that they had actually formerly served in the UK Armed Forces so it was essential to hear how the Veterans’ Commissioner is dealing with a variety of organisations to undertake his work, consisting of numerous federal government departments of the UK and Welsh federal governments and firms to support these veterans.
Commenting on the committee session, Stephen Crabb MP said,
“I was delighted to welcome Barry to Parliament today to be quizzed by my committee on the current pressures facing the veteran’s community in Pembrokeshire, and across Wales. Barry and the other panellists provided a really useful insight into the work they do to support veterans on a day-to-day basis and I was very interested to hear about their experience of the Veterans Commissioner.”
“Barry demonstrates on a daily basis the passion and motivation he has for providing a hub of support to our local veteran community. He has done a tremendous job over the years and it has been a pleasure to watch him grow the charity from an initial idea to the success it is today. His experience and insight was vitally important for the committee today.”
Barry John MBE commented, “ I appreciated being asked by Stephen to have the opportunity this morning to represent veterans, Pembrokeshire and Wales, with the perspectives from the ground work being done by the Third Sector and what we are doing to support the Armed Forces Community. It was good to discuss the support the appointed Veterans Commissioner for Wales has brought to our aims in our sector during these challenging times.”
Photo caption – Barry John MBE, Founder of the VC Gallery, with the panel at today’s Welsh Affairs Committee with Chair Stephen Crabb MP.
