A Tidworth-based recovery centre for veterans will remain open despite the restructuring of the charity that runs it closing all its other centres.

Tedworth House, located to the south of the town, is run by military charity Help for Heroes. Due to the financial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the charity will be mothballing its other facilities, in Catterick, Colchester and Plymouth, “for the foreseeable future.”

Help for Heroes anticipates that over the coming years, due to the ongoing recession, that it will see a 30% reduction in its regular income. Coupled with the demand for services during the pandemic, this has led to the decision to move towards community and digital support.

The charity says that they believe that these approaches to delivering support “will mean the charity can most effectively reach the wounded veterans and families that need support, regardless of their location, in a more cost-effective way.”

Melanie Waters, Help for Heroes’ CEO, said: “In 2007, we made a promise on behalf of the nation to provide lifetime support to wounded veterans, and their families, and we are striving to keep that promise.

“The crisis has had a devastating impact on the whole UK charity sector, with lasting consequences, and it has hit us hard. We expect these changes to have a positive impact on our ability to protect our services and support for the long term, which is incredibly important. We are not stopping any recovery services but will be providing the same first-class recovery services in a more cost-effective way. The continued Covid restrictions mean that wounded veterans have a greater need for support to be available closer to home, in their communities and online.

“We remain absolutely committed to our wounded and their families and will continue fighting for, and changing the lives of, those we support for as long as they need it.”

Tedworth House will reopen as a Covid-secure environment in the near future.