SVOC Bergen op Zoom

SVOC Bergen op Zoom is a community organisation based in Bergen op Zoom, Netherlands working on community development.

The Stichting Veteranen Ontmoetingscentrum Bergen op Zoom (SVOC) is a foundation that brings together veterans of all branches of the Dutch armed forces, young and old, in Bergen op Zoom and the surrounding West Brabant region. Its main activity is a drop-in afternoon held every second Saturday of the month at Café Het Zwijnshoofd, where veterans meet, share memories and build mutual respect across differences in background, rank and age. The foundation also runs the Maatje voor een Praatje initiative, which offers veterans a one-to-one conversation about their deployment experiences, organises a yearly local veterans day, and takes part in remembrance ceremonies and liberation commemorations in Bergen op Zoom. It relies on volunteers and donations to keep the centre open and to fund its afternoons and ceremonies.