Former forces personnel across Ashfield and the surrounding areas can now join like-minded veterans and enjoy a brew at The Café at Tesco Nottingham Hucknall Extra, as the store opens its doors to its first Help for Heroes ‘café’.
As part of a small trial, the supermarket is working with the armed forces charity to offer veterans a chance to get together over complimentary beverages at its Hucknall store, launching on Tuesday 19 May.
Tesco is the leading private sector employer of veterans and has its own Armed Forces Network, which acts as a support system and community for veterans, reservists and military family members working within the company.
In 2025, its Armed Forces Network agreed a three-year partnership with Help for Heroes to further support the armed forces community in various regions across the country.
The monthly Help for Heroes café will be hosted by Linda Stone, who is part of the charity’s Community Development team, and she believes it has the potential to provide much-needed support for veterans in the area.
She explained: “There is clearly a requirement for such a facility in this area, as we know there are more than 35,300 veterans living across Nottinghamshire, and it is heart-warming that Tesco has agreed to work with us to provide a venue and a drink for those interested in participating. I’m also keen to discuss any ideas people may have for improving community life for veterans and their families.
“It doesn’t matter how long you served; all veterans can come along, meet fellow veterans, enjoy a brew and a chat, and, if required, talk to specialists from the charity who may be able to provide support in several areas.
“Tesco is the largest private employer of veterans, and its Armed Forces Network is a vibrant and supportive community. Together, we’ll deliver initiatives that will help build Armed Forces communities and inspire the wider public to get involved.”
Tesco Armed Forces Network Chair Sabrina Lungo said: “Our network is proud to host the Help for Heroes café at The Café in our Tesco Nottingham Hucknall Extra store, giving veterans a place to make meaningful connections, get support and catch up with other ex-service personnel over a coffee.
“Help for Heroes provides vital support for the Armed Forces community, and we look forward to seeing how local veterans benefit from this initiative.”
Ken Bellringer is an Ambassador for Help for Heroes living in Nottinghamshire. Ken served in the Army before suffering catastrophic injuries whilst on patrol in Afghanistan. He understands how important this new initiative is for local veterans. He said: “When you leave the Armed Forces, you leave behind a huge support network and many veterans, like me, find themselves isolated and lonely at times. It’s hard to ask for help; we often feel that makes us a failure.
“During my service, I found that many issues could be resolved by discussing things with friends and colleagues over a brew. At the time, I didn’t realise how important these chats were or the effect missing them would have on me.
“Fortunately, Tesco has opened its doors to a Help for Heroes café where veterans and their families can meet in a safe and comfortable environment. And, of course, there’s no better place for this than Nottinghamshire.”
The first Help for Heroes event at The Café in Tesco Nottingham Hucknall Extra on Ashgate Road, Hucknall, takes place on Tuesday 19 May and runs from 10am to 12pm. Help for Heroes champions the Armed Forces community and helps people live well after service. The charity supports veterans and their families with their physical and mental health, as well as welfare and social needs. It has already supported tens of thousands and won’t stop until every veteran gets the support they deserve.
The charity supports veterans from any branch of the UK military – regulars or reserves – irrespective of length or place of service, and locally embedded civilians and their families who worked under the command of UK Armed Forces.
