SERVICES helping the borough's ex-forces community have been armed with new contacts to make sure veterans are provided with the right support.

Leigh Community Trust (LCT) organised a Networking 4 Forces event at Leigh Town Hall on Tuesday, which saw people from Wigan Council, The Royal British Legion, Inspiring Healthy Lifestyles, the NHS and many other organisations come together to discuss the work they do in the borough to help veterans.

Veteran and LCT member Andy Reid gave an inspirational talk urging services to think differently about how they deliver their support and to work collaboratively.

Andy, who lost both legs and his right arm when he stepped on a booby trap bomb out on patrol in Afghanistan in 2009, said: “There is a large ex-forces community in the borough and there are many services that provide a lot of help, but it is important that they are aware of each other and the work they are doing in order for veterans to reap the full benefits.

“Even though each organisation is great separately, we are stronger working together, so the event was about instigating conversations and encouraging new connections in order for us to easily signpost the ex-forces community to the relevant support network.”

The speed-dating style event gave each service three minutes to talk to one another before moving around the room to introduce themselves and speak with a different organisation.

Cllr Paul Kenny, lead member for armed forces in the borough, said: “It is so important that we share our work with our partners in order to inspire new ideas and working relationships that can ultimately lead to better service provision for veterans.

“Events like this are just the beginning – it is how those new connections stem into something bigger afterwards that is important, and I applaud Leigh Community Trust on its successful efforts to bring together these services to learn more about one another.”

Cllr Keith Cunliffe, the council’s portfolio holder for adult social care, kicked off proceedings by explaining why services should to work together to complement each other.

There will be another Networking 4 Forces event for veterans across the borough to drop in and find out more about the services available to them.

It will take place at Leigh Sports Village in February.

For more information about armed forces' work in the borough, follow Wigan Council and Leigh Community Trust on Facebook.