A "vital" veteran support group celebrated its year anniversary.

The Bolton branch of the Armed Forces and Veterans Breakfast Club was set up in July 2023. 

The idea started in Hull, when three friends used to meet on a Saturday for butties and banter, before it grew into a movement with over 500 clubs around the world. 

The clubs are free, with no subs or fees besides paying for the breakfast. 

Run 'by veterans for veterans', it is to provide support and camaraderie.

On Saturday, July 20, exactly a year on from being founded, veterans and councillors met at the Heywood Park Young People Centre in Great Lever to celebrate the group. 

Police also attendedPolice also attended (Image: GMP)

Chairman, Simon Skirving, said: "I run this every Saturday, all are welcome, the more the better. 

"It is so important that it continues. I am always grateful to the council, David Hayes deserves a special mention. 

"It is just about guys coming and enjoying themselves. Civilians don't understand it in the same way, but we're all brothers." 

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The Mayor of Bolton, Cllr Andy Morgan, said: "These sort of organisations are absolutely vital. 

"I have been speaking to veterans, they only tell these stories to other veterans. If they are not doing that, they keep it to themselves. 

"It is vital because voluntary organisations are filling in the gaps. It has been a great morning and I have met some good guys. 

"When you put ex-forces guys together, there is that banter you wouldn't do with just anybody, and getting this stuff off their chests has got to be good." 

Secretary Dave Chambers and his niece Maisey Eckersley, who is part of the Radcliffe Army CadetsSecretary Dave Chambers and his niece Maisey Eckersley, who is part of the Radcliffe Army Cadets (Image: Newsquest)

Leader of Bolton Council, Nick Peel, said: "It is massively important, we are very proud at the council to use our facilities for events like this. 

"We were also recently awarded the Silver award for the Armed Forces Covenant and worked very hard to achieve that. 

"They are very nice, welcoming people, and like any voluntary organisation, there is a large amount of work to run this and they are all heroes." 

Also at the event was Derek Hardman, one of the founders of the first breakfast club, and Martin Tomkins, both from Hull. 

He said: "It has been brilliant, Simon invited us across. When you put a load of non-serving military together in a breakfast club - I don't like to call us ex-forces - it's like birds of a feather. 

"They have each other's backs." 

The Armed Forces and Veterans Breakfast Club takes place from 10am to 2pm each Saturday at Heywood Young People's Centre in Great Lever.