VETERANS GARAGE SOCIAL ENTERPRISE
The Veterans Garage was created by a group of Ex Service family members to create a unique, modern and forward thinking social hub available to access seven days a week with the added back up and welfare support.
The concept will see the birth of a fast paced and fun community automotive club that will encapsulate the excitement of all things cars, motorcycles and aviation.
The idea is to alleviate social isolation and promote social inclusion in all ages in a fun environment.
Since our inception in 2016 the Veterans Garage has gone from strength to strength and being members of the funding regulator, Salford CVS the GMCVO and ASDIC (Association of Ex Service Drop in Centres, a COBSEO initiative of which we one of only twelve in the UK) also winning social enterprise of the year in 2016 and have recently been nominated for the upcoming Queens Award for Voluntary Service.
The team secured the donation of the former Terminal Building and barns at the UK’s first municipal airport at City Airport Barton. Since then a wealth of sponsors have come on board including all the professional construction team to many generous companies donating materials and services.
Ending a long 16-month planning battle in the summer 2018 mainly around the buildings grade two listing for its functionality to aviation history in the UK the team are now getting underway to start the build in January 2019. The first phase will start with the Terminal Building with a 12-month schedule then moving on to the attached barn buildings thereafter.
The Terminal building will house a cool social lounge and games room designed around the buildings aviation heritage and wartime function. The barns will be a continuation of social space and will see an automotive/industrial styled smoke house restaurant and bar. The L-shaped barns attached will see the birth of the classic/custom car and motorcycle workshops that will embody the Veterans Garage ethos in bringing veterans together to work in teams, making new friends and gaining new skills. The cars/motorcycles that are created here will be used by Veterans to go to events to show off the work and used for automotive days out in things such as the Gumball Rally for example.
Team VG simply could not wait around for planning battles so decided to take on the first floor of the airports Business Centre and got to work transforming it into the ever-popular VG Bar & Grill. This was completed with zero funding and was build on the hard work of very dedicated volunteers, our partnership helping Veterans in custody with NOVUS and the kind donations of local and national companies of materials and services.
At the VG you will find a friendly atmosphere with a great menu and an array of soft and alcoholic drinks along with specialist range of Tea’s and coffee’s
Opening times are 9am – 6pm Monday to Sunday although Monday night you will see Biker Night where all motorcycle enthusiasts are welcome and that starts from 6pm-11pm throughout the year.
The Lounge is run by a team of dedicated volunteers and all profits go into the main build.
We look forward to welcoming you
Visit our Website …… Click Here
Team VG
