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Veterans bring together 'community-minded people'

Tom Jackson/ BBC Carl Higgs is stood outside and is looking directly at the camera while smiling. He is predominantly bald with a patch of grey and purple hair in the centre of his head. He has a tattoo on the left side of his head and a grey facial hair. He wears a dark grey hoodie with a camo-style coat and poppy pin attached. Tom Jackson/ BBC
Carl Higgs said the club's building has been used by other groups in the community, including a local Brazilian drum band

A once "thriving" ex-services club has been saved after the Covid pandemic led to a decline in memberships and put the building at risk of closure.

The Joint Ex-Services Club in Barnwell, Cambridge, was struggling to remain open until its committee agreed to make the venue available to the wider community and rename the site as the Joint Service and Veterans Club.

Carl Higgs, 51, the chairman of the club, said since the space was opened up to the community in July 2024 about £70,000 worth of work had been pledged or carried out.

Local groups have made use of the renovated space and the club has plans for the site to eventually provide services for people experiencing homelessness.

Tom Jackson/ BBC Speakers, lights and DJ equipment on a small indoor stage. Tom Jackson/ BBC
A new stage area has been built inside the club and equipment donated by a retired DJ

The club, which was established in 1983, aimed to be a welfare hub for veterans, but the wider community can now also gain access to its range of support.

After refurbishing the interior, exterior, the group agreed to open the building during non-club hours as a community space.

Veterans have also agreed to run the club on a voluntary basis to reduce expenditure, and they said they looked forward to hosting "many more" events in the future.

Tom Jackson/ BBC Sean Howlett and Carl Higgs are stool behind a bar together. They have their hands on the counter and are smiling at the camera. Sean is bald and has grey facial hair. He wears square framed glasses, a black top and a long sleeved grey top underneath. Behind them are bottles of alcohol and draught beer taps are on the bar.Tom Jackson/ BBC
Sean Howlett (left) hoped the club could help "create a community of community-minded people"

Sean Howlett, 54, one of the founders of the club said the financial support the club had received "pulls at heartstrings" and the venue's main event hall had already hosted discos, quiz nights and Christmas dinners.

"We can bring the community together," he said.

"You tend to find ex-military and local people don't mingle too much, but the idea of this is that we get everybody together.

"That's what we want to do, create a community of community minded people... doing something to help others."

Tom Jackson/ BBC A row of brightly colour flags have been pinned against a brick wall inside the club . The closest to the camera reads 'Royal Anglian'. Tom Jackson/ BBC
The former Joint Ex-Services Club committee agreed to rename the venue the Joint Services and Veterans Club in July 2024

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