“Walking With The Wounded has helped me feel whole again – a person and not just an object. I have received counselling and support for the future which has helped me feel part of society again.” - Peter

Peter joined the Army in 1979. He enlisted in the Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers (REME) and spent over three years with 35 Engineering Unit Armourers, serving in Germany and Northern Ireland.

In December 1987 Peter submitted his Personal Voluntary Release (PVR) and on leaving the Army he started his civilian life as a recovery mechanic working on the M25 – the first of many jobs on ‘civvy street’. Over the years, Peter found it tough to hold down a job and also maintain a safe place to live. He found himself living in his car on several occasions.

In November 2014, following contact with SSAFA, Peter was allocated a place at The Beacon – a supported residence for homeless veterans located on the Catterick Garrison. He was housed within 36 hours and says that “it literally saved [his] life”. At The Beacon, he was provided support by one of Walking With The Wounded’s Employment Advisors.

“My employment mentor is the most wonderful person and goes beyond the bounds of her remit to support people. The personal help and intervention I have come across has been wonderful. Without this, I wouldn’t have seen a future for myself.” – Peter

Peter has also received support from WWTW's mental health programme, Head Start, which has given him access a private counsellor who supports him with his mental health difficulties.

Peter is currently looking to train as an LGV (Larger Goods Vehicle) driver and has received funding from Walking With The Wounded programmes in order to do so. He hopes that this will lead to a stable job and allow him to eventually get his own place. He looks forward to becoming fully independent again.

We catch up with Peter every year when he comes to support our annual Cumbrian Challenge in the Lake District. He comes to speak to participants about the impact that WWTW has had on his life. Since leaving the Army, Peter has also taken to writing poetry and he often brings a selection of his latest poems for us to read in Cumbria. You can read some here…

Click here to find out more about Walking With The Wounded's Employment programme, or here to find out more about Head Start, WWTW's mental health programme.