ALDERMAN’S Green Army veteran Andy Geddes turned his garden pub into a community hub to raise £6,000 for Help for Heroes in three years.
Andy replaced his garage with his very own ‘Meerkat Arms’ luxury shed pub, which acts as a meeting place for his friends and neighbours.
The ‘pub’, which got its name from the nickname given to Andy for the way he bobs his head like a meerkat waiting for bingo numbers to be called, has a dartboard, pub games and a flat screen TV for watching sports.
Each drink at the pub costs £1.50, which goes to Help for Heroes.
Andy’s army career with the Ordnance Corps spanned 24 years and involved tours in Northern Ireland and Bosnia.
The 63-year-old is registered disabled having being diagnosed with illnesses including Lupus, an auto-immune disease and arthritis, and so relies on his Army pension.
He said: “Having The Meerkat Arms means this way I still have a social scene which stops me feeling isolated and we are there to support each other.
“This week can be tough for many who have served, Remembrance Day can be emotional, you think about those people who have served with, those who were injured and those who didn’t return home.
“I know Help for Heroes supports the veteran community to live well after service and we will continue to support them, so veterans are never forgotten.”
Help for Heroes area fundraising manager Dean Williams visited the Meerkat Arms recently to pick up Andy’s latest £2000 donation.
He added: “Andy, along with the regulars at The Meerkat Arms have been incredibly supportive of the vital work Help for Heroes does.
“Our charity is reliant on public donations for more than 90 per cent of our income so we, and our veterans, are extremely fortunate to have Andy and The Meerkat Arms behind us.”
