Greater Thameslink Railway (GTR) has opened a mailbox at Crawley station in West Sussex, where homeless ex-forces personnel have access to a permanent postal address.

The mailbox was launched last Wednesday, 24th June, ahead of Armed Forces Day on Saturday, 27th June, and is being run in partnership with the not-for-profit organisation Squaddie Box. It provides homeless veterans and blue light workers who are experiencing homelessness or housing instability with access to secure, permanent postal addresses via locked mailboxes.

Squaddie Box sets up its mailboxes in trusted community locations, such as transport hubs and GP surgeries, so that veterans have a recognised address, which is required for access to healthcare, employment, and support services.

Demand for the mailbox existed even before it officially opened, and Dean Wormleighton, the founder of Squaddie Box, said Crawley was identified as the best location for GTR’s inaugural Squaddie Box because the of the housing pressures and homelessness challenges in the town.

Funding towards the Squaddie Box installation came from GTR’s Armed Forces Network, which donated £1,000 towards the scheme.

Another initiative to help ex-forces personnel is being run by train operator Northern through a scheme that encourages them to consider transferring their skills to a career on the railway.

“We’re excited to partner with GTR to launch our Squaddie Box installation at Crawley station, which represents a significant milestone for the project because it will be the fourth pod installed since the initiative began in July 2025. This highlights an important point about Squaddie Box that while the secure address is a critical part of the solution, the real value comes from the wider support network which sits behind it. Our first Squaddie Box beneficiary was able to register with a GP almost immediately after receiving access to a Squaddie Box and reconnect with wider support pathways that had been previously difficult to access. It demonstrates that Squaddie Box is about far more than receiving post – it is about restoring dignity, opportunity, and hope.”

Dean Wormleighton, CEO and founder of Squaddie Box