A FORMER air force chef from Basingstoke is flying the flag for Armed Forces Veterans on the Isle Of Wight and serving those who served.
Andy Wilkinson, formerly of Basingstoke, now lives in the Isle of Wight with his wife, Karen. Born to a military family and a former chef in the RAF himself, Andy now works to support veterans on the island as a member of the Veterans Hub.
Having always had a military influence in his life, with father Jeff being a veteran of the RAF, a retired Hampshire Police Sergeant and the former Commanding Officer of the Basingstoke Air Cadet Squadron, Andy spent many of his teenage years as an air cadet himself before joining the RAF.
Now retired, Andy is involved with The Veterans Hotel and Veterans Lounge in Ryde, where ex-servicemen and women can meet, have a coffee and chat with one another.
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The Veterans Hotel on the Esplanade, located opposite to the Hover Terminal, regularly welcomes veterans of the Merchant Navy.
Each of the various branches of the services have a uniquely themed section of the establishment dedicated to them.
Using his skills from his days as an RAF chef, Andy takes on the responsibility of providing a delicious breakfast in the Veterans Breakfast club which provides a breakfast once a month.
These facilities have recently gained picked up national awards, having won 'Veterans Group of the Year' in November, gaining recognition for the volunteers and the work they do.
Jeff Wilkinson, Andy's father, explained that he was "proud" of his son and the work of the group.
He said "I am proud of him and all the other volunteers in Ryde who provide this service for those who served their country and as he is a former RAF chef, I am glad that he is continuing to serve those who served.
"What makes this even better is that his wife, Karen, is the daughter of a former Royal
Yacht CPO (Chief Petty Officer) and is also involved with him."
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