AN ARMY veteran from Ross-on-Wye has issued a rallying call to local residents to sign an open letter to Prime Minister Andy Burnham, which calls on the Government to lead a generational shift in support for veterans.

The letter from Armed Forces charity Help for Heroes has already received more than 40,000 signatures.

Gemma Morgan served in the Army for six years and has issued a special plea to people across the region to add their names and show the strength of support for our men and women who have served, ahead of the letter being delivered to No. 10 Downing Street at the end of the month.

Ms Morgan said: “Many veterans, particularly those injured while serving, still struggle to locate and access the quality healthcare, financial security and support they need and deserve.

“As a nation, we have made a promise through the Armed Forces Covenant, that no-one would be disadvantaged because they served our nation. We are failing to deliver on this promise.”

The open letter calls for the Government to implement the changes outlined in the Charity’s ‘People’s Promise to Veterans’, which sets out practical reforms needed to strengthen support.

Help for Heroes has reported a 30 per cent rise in demand for its services over the past year.

Ms Morgan, who is now an ambassador for the charity added: “Help for Heroes has 20 years of experience, supporting tens of thousands of veterans and families, so we know what needs to be done. With the push to expand our Armed Forces, because of an increasingly unstable global picture, if we don’t get this right now, we’re sleepwalking towards a crisis.”

The charity Help for Heroes champions the Armed Forces community and helps people live well after service. The letter can be found via the website helpforheroes.org.uk.