Mansfield District Council’s Armed Forces Champion, CounSean McCallum, is launching a new breakfast club for veterans in the Mansfield and Ashfield area.

The first meeting of the Mansfield & Ashfield Veterans Breakfast Club, which already has 50 signed up members, will be on Saturday 8 October from 10am at The Bold Forester pub in Botany Avenue, Mansfield.

Coun McCallum, a veteran himself of the Iraq War, said: “I have decided to organise and support the club as part of my role as armed forces champion.

“Veterans breakfast clubs are a fantastic way of making new friends, rekindling old friendships, and helping to prevent social isolation, all in the spirit of the camaraderie that is special to the armed forces.

“The idea is that serving and ex members of armed forces can get together over a breakfast and a brew, and enjoy the fun, laughter, friendship and pride that serving our country brings.

“There are only two rules for the club – nobody sits alone, and veterans of World War Two will have their breakfasts paid for by a whip-round of other members.

The club will also give us the opportunity to identify possible beneficiaries, or those in need of extra help through one reason or another. It will enable the members to help each other again, as they once would have – social support and cohesion is a vital part of military life.

Coun McCallum appealed to anyone who may know of former or current forces personnel who may like to attend, to let them know about the club.

Deputy Mayor of Mansfield Cllr Mick Barton said: “As a council, we like to look after our ex-servicemen and women in the district and this is an excellent initiative which will serve as a beneficial support network for veterans. We wish it every success.”

The club has a Facebook group called Mansfield & Ashfield Veterans Breakfast Club or they can contact CounMcCallum on 07955 841845 or email him at [email protected].