Concerns for veterans' welfare have been addressed across Copeland with some new training given to four Royal British Legion branches.

The local ex-forces community will start to see the benefit from new skills being taught.

It comes after several of the legion branches gathered to receive community support and outreach training.

The free instruction was offered to Bransty branch in Whitehaven, Wath Brow branch, Seascale and Sellafield branch in Gosforth, and two further branches in the north of the county.

County Councillor Paul Turner, who is the president of the Seascale and Sellafield branch, is looking forward to seeing how the new outreach skills will help local veterans in Copeland.

He said: "Branch Community Support is a new initiative to support ex-members of the Armed Forces Community and their families.

"It helps local branches develop active participation in their local communities.

"So, for the first time, it allows branches to become the eyes and ears of the RBL at a local level, by helping those veterans that are alone or lonely or may need a little help.

"We do this by offering telephone conversations and regular chats, visiting people in hospitals, or their homes as well as organizing community activities and get-togethers within the branch in the local area.

"By doing this we will raise the awareness of the RBL to the veterans' community, so we can signpost West Cumbria's veterans, to the help that they may urgently need.

"The new set of skills also allows local British Legion branches, to promote the objectives of the Royal British Legion's Royal Charter in that it gives branch members a way of becoming more involved."

For more information call 0808 802 1212 to be directed to your local branch, or find a local branch on Facebook.