Eastleigh volunteer honoured for supporting veterans

Rose Timms received the title of Citizen of Honour from the Mayor of Eastleigh, Councillor Janice Asman at the Eastleigh Armed Forces Veterans Breakfast Club yesterday.

Nearly 50 people attended the club yesterday, which runs every second and fourth Sunday at Katerina’s Café on the high street.

Rose was presented with a certificate, a badge of honour and a tower of cakes to celebrate, receiving a huge round of applause by everyone inside the café.

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Councillor Cynthia Garton, formerly Mayor of Eastleigh in 2021, called Rose a “very caring person” in a speech made before she was presented with the award.

Councillor Cynthia Garton, formerly Mayor of Eastleigh in 2021, called Rose a “very caring person” in a speech made before she was presented with the award. (Image: Newsquest) She said: “Rose is somebody who goes the extra mile to help and support local veterans.

“Rose helps to decorate Eastleigh bandstand with poppies for Remembrance.

“Following the vandalism this year she stayed up late into the early hours of the morning, sewing strings onto woollen poppies for local school children and young people to tie onto the bandstand at the service to lay the first crosses.”

Councillor Cynthia Garton, Mayor of Eastleigh Councillor Janice Asman, Rose Timms, Dave Sillence and Kat, owner of Katarina's Cafe. (Image: Newsquest)She praised Rose for looking out for her neighbour too, an elderly gentlemen in his 90s, who she cooks a hot meal for every day.

Rose Timms with a tower of cakes to celebrate her award. (Image: Newsquest) Rose runs the club with Dave Sillence, which caters for veterans across Hampshire, such as the four who come from Portsmouth every two weeks.

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“When you come out of the armed forces, you’re sort of kicked out of the front door and you’re left to your own devices, you haven’t got a clue,” Dave said.

The caring Rose Timms being presented her award by the Mayor of Eastleigh. (Image: Newsquest) “If people have got problems, we know where we can go to get the right help for them, especially mentally.

“We’ve all been through the same sort of way, one way or another. We can talk without upsetting anybody. It’s like one big family.

“It doesn’t matter if you came from the army, the navy, the air force, we all mix together and we all take the mickey out of each other.”

After receiving the award, Rose said: “It’s not about me at all. I want these veterans to get a bit of recognition today because they deserve it.”