‘More people need to know about us’ says Peterborough breakfast club for Armed Forces veterans
Organisers hoping to spread the word about informal morning social club and ‘support group’
A Peterborough breakfast club for Armed Forces veterans is encouraging former soldiers, sailors and aircrew to come along to its popular weekly gatherings.
The Peterborough Armed Forces and Veterans Breakfast Club meets every Saturday morning at the Mulberry Tree in Hampton Centre.
The no-cost group typically attracts 20-30 attendees, most of whom look forward to exchanging near-the knuckle barbs over a buffet breakfast.
“We put the world to rights,” says group spokesperson David Waller “It's very informal, a good laugh and we all rip the bits out of each other's service, corps or regiment.”
The 68-year-old, who left the army in 1987, said many of those who come along regularly do so because they miss the camaraderie that is so integral to military life:
“It’s an odd sense of humour, the military humour,“ he says. “A lot of people miss the banter.”
“One lad said to me: ‘I love coming here every Saturday morning - I can just get away from the civvies!’”
Ex-soldier David, who was in the army for 14-and-a-half years, completely understands that outlook.
“I’ve been out a fair few years,” he says, “but it doesn’t leave you - it’s stuck there.”
While socialising is a key element of the group, David says the club also provides emotional aid whenever needed.
“I think it’s almost like a support group in a way.
“Some of the lads are widowers or not partnered and it’s a way for them to mix with other like-minded people.”
This is why David believes more people should know about the group
“What we would like to do is make more veterans and their families aware of our little get-togethers,” he says.
David wants to assure people that, although the club is a very social group, attendees are in no way made to feel like they have to get involved
“If you don’t want to join in then you don’t have to,” he explains.
“I know one bloke; he turned up and sat at a table by himself. He didn’t mix with anybody, he listened in [and] you could see him smiling but then that was it - out he went.”
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