A regimental-style dinner is being held in Huddersfield to fundraise for a coffee lounge and a charity that helps veterans.
The Tommy’s Lounge Summer Mess Dinner gives people the chance to experience a formal regimental mess dinner followed by a dance with a Motown-themed live band.
Money raised from the event at the Accu Stadium on Saturday, June 27, will go to help Tommy’s Voice Charity and Tommy’s Coffee Lounge on Railway Street in Huddersfield town centre.
Both give vital support to veterans who have left the armed forces and anyone is welcome to visit the coffee lounge (pictured below).
Tommy’s Voice Charity helps with online job applications, housing, benefits, domestic bills, self-help referrals, signposting and peer-to-peer support. A lot of the work is done inside Tommy’s Coffee Lounge.
Anyone is welcome to attend the dinner and if businesses want to support the event with a corporate sponsorship table they can attend with eight people and the other two places on the table will be veterans so people can hear their stories and understand the challenges they face when they return to civilian life.
If companies wish to support the event but can’t attend they can gift the places to veterans.
Tommy’s Lounge co-owner Jennie Riley said: “The corporate fundraising supports safe spaces, helping to keep our café doors open and providing a lifeline to the armed forces community and those who need it the most.
“We have a 91-year-old veteran who regularly tells us he wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for the coffee lounge. All our staff members are mental health first aid trained which adds a vital component to a coffee with a heart.’’
At the event Tommy’s Voice Charity will highlight the life changing work they have done in the past and outline future plans.
There will be special guests from community groups that have supported men’s mental health and reveal how they have worked closely together to support the Huddersfield community, veterans and mental health.
Former Regimental Sergeant Major Mick Riley MBE (above), chair of Tommy’s Voice charity, will lead the evening with his vast experience within a sergeants’ mess.
He said: “For anyone who has not been to a mess dinner this will be a fantastic night, offering as close to the experience as we can make it. It’s definitely not a night to be missed.’’
There will also be a Tommy’s Voice Charity Concert and raffle on Friday, June 12 at the United Reform Church 319 Old Wakefield Road, Huddersfield, which will feature Huddersfield Rock Choir. Tickets are £7, the event starts at 7pm and to buy tickets click here.
More information on Tommy’s Lounge go to https://tommyscoffeelounge.shop/ and to buy tickets for the dinner click here.
