A disused piece of land in Abergavenny has been brought back to life thanks to help of a group of veterans who wanted to create a space to access support and give something back to their community.

The Green Fingers Group of the Monmouthshire Veterans Support Hub has rescued a part of the area containing the Melville Centre and Dance Blast, among others, by turning it into a hive of activity as well as a welcoming space for anyone to come and enjoy the outdoors.

“You wouldn’t think that Abergavenny Town Centre is just over the road sat here,” Bryn Probert, Chair of the support hub told The Chronicle.

“This used to be the tennis court when I came to school here and we are now standing in the old cricket nets. So this part of town is very important to me and I am very happy that we have been able to work on this area and maintain it for the community to enjoy.”

The ethos of the Monmouthshire Veterans Support hub is all about placing an emphasis on veterans being a functioning part of the community.

Among their aims is to develop a greater awareness of the support and services available to the Armed Forces Community, provide individuals with the confidence, knowledge, and skills to access timely and relevant support that meets their needs and reinforce people’s self-reliance, confidence, esteem, and empowerment to improve health outcomes and longer-term well-being.

The revitalised space will also serve as a new headquarters for the group with 27/7 access, enabling veterans to gain practical support with things like pensions or IT support as well as being able to talk about their mental health.

Bryn explains how important it is to encourage members of the community to talk to each other.

“A lot of our members have PTSD and struggle with it to varying degrees,” he said.

“It is important for us to create a safe space for the Armed Forces Community to create friendship networks and support structures as well as offering opportunities to engage with the local community and undertake collaborative activities.”

When the kitchen and the new HQ hut is completed, veterans will be able to access to training on topics such as stress management, panic and anxiety management, managing difficult thoughts, and mindfulness in a central location.

Most of the patch is dedicated to gardening, with polytunnels and greenhouses available to grow locally-sourced produce. Some of the plants are then sold to the public in order to fund the maintenance of the quiet corner of Abergavenny.

This week is Armed Forces Week, an important reminder to support those who have fought for their country in whatever way possible. June is also Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, a time when people are encouraged to talk to each other and share their worries or concerns.

There is somebody there almost every day of the week. They are open Mondays 1pm-4 pm, Tuesday and Thursday 10pm-4pm and Saturdays 12pm-4pm.

Those interested in a volunteering opportunity can contact Bryn directly via email at [email protected]