The venue kicked us out during my first Armed Forces meet up – this is why they’re so important
Natasha Mason, solicitor in our Military Claims Team explains why volunteering with her local Armed Forces & Veterans Breakfast Club is important to her and the community in which she lives.
I joined the military at 18 – a late starter compared to some – and joining in your late teens/early adulthood shapes your adult life. For many, including me, military life may be the only adult life those in the military have lived through. So if and when the time comes to leave, the experience can be daunting.
Serving in our armed forces isn’t ‘just a job’, it’s a career that becomes your life. The military tells you what you need to wear at certain times of the day, when you eat, when you can see your family, when you can go home, when you can use the phone, what you can drink, and much more.
It’s not a bad life – there’s many good, even great experiences that go along with a military career. But there is no training to prepare you for civilian life.
There are no lessons on what being an adult in the ‘real world’ means, no leaflets or books to read about how to change from a service person to civilian.
I left after 19 years’ service and I know civilian life can feel isolating. We can worry we don’t fit in: our humour may be different, our idea of fun may be different, our idea of a difficult time may be different, our idea of hard work is different. Quite simply, we often feel different.
Dereck Hardman, former Royal Engineer, had the vision for Armed Forces & Veterans Breakfast Clubs back in 2007 when he formed the first club in Hull. The aim was to tackle social isolation and loneliness.
Since then, Dereck has helped establish a network of more than 500 clubs in 15 countries with more than 150,000 members worldwide.
The Plymouth Club celebrated its 10th anniversary on Sunday 6th July. It’s managed by an admin team of five, all volunteering their time freely. I’ve volunteered with the club for around nine years in some way, and have been in the lead admin role over the past seven-eight years.
I got involved as a way to help find my feet in civvy street, to re-connect and to see what else was out there.
My first visit was eventful to say the least. The venue politely asked us to leave, saying they didn’t want us to take photographs that would associate them with a veteran group.
We left. This highlighted to me the difficulties our veteran community may face, and I was determined to make it a better place to be with a welcoming and safe environment.
Over the years our Breakfast Club has gone from strength to strength. It’s never about how many people turn up, it’s always about being there and having that safe space if anyone wants to come together.
Dereck Hardman describes it as ‘return to the tribe’. He’s quite right; it’s about coming together with people who have a shared background and similar past experiences.
The admin team meets every new attendee at the door; we chat to them and explain where everything is. If they arrive on their own, we look around and introduce them to someone who we think they’ll get along with. We encourage everyone to move around the venue and chat to others. On one occasion, I introduced a new veteran to a regular; they got chatting and it transpired one had rescued the other from the water after their ship was attacked during the Falklands conflict. They now meet up regularly and have each other in their lives should they need it.
Plymouth AFVBC, like many of the 500 clubs, isn’t only about breakfast, there’s other events too. We get together for bingo and BBQ, curry and horseracing nights. Last month we had an afternoon tea at a private venue. We try to do anything we can to reduce the isolation some may feel.
We don’t have AGM’s, we’re not a charity, we don’t raise money for charities, and we don’t have membership forms. Importantly the why a person is coming is not important, the fact they knew about us and knew they’d be welcome is the important part. We can signpost for additional support if we’re asked, but that’s not our focus.
In May 2025, we were kindly invited to the Lord Mayor’s house for coffee and cake (as a group, we never say no to cake!) During the visit, a couple of veterans explained how they’d not been on holiday and how they don’t feel comfortable going on their own. Here came a lightbulb moment – our admin team kicked into action and, in April 2026, we’re off on a five-day coach holiday. Breakfast Club on tour! We’re visiting Leicester, Warwick Castle, the National Arboretum, and Cadburys World. The holiday is about camaraderie, remembrance, fun, laughter, and new memories.
Last month we had a stand at our local Armed Forces Day event. Volunteers spent time talking to the public about the club and why it’s important to them and others. Two volunteers enjoyed it so much they stayed on the stand all day… a testament of just how important this is to them.
As I mentioned, we’re celebrating our 10th year and we’re also moving to a new venue at a new time – very daring! We’ll be at Olive and Twist, 9 Old Town Street, Plymouth, from 10.00-12.00 every first and third Sunday. The venue has offered a special club menu with a discount, and we look forward to supporting a local business too.
Volunteering at Breakfast Club is special. I am proud that me and all the admin team provide a safe space for everyone to be together; to reduce the isolation some may feel and simply have a laugh – something we all need from time to time.
If you want to learn more about Breakfast Clubs or find your nearest one, use this link: Armed Forces & Veterans Breakfast Club.
