Sleeping Rough for Homeless Veterans
I am a veteran who is lucky enough to have come home. I have my scars, but they are nothing compared to others. So many veterans and their families are still struggling with physical disability, mental health and/or disadvantage. Too many are yet to find home. It is one of the enduring Miseries of War.
Homeless Veterans – disability, disadvantage, Miseries of War
Today, over 6,000 British veterans sleep rough – reduced to begging on UK streets. They are out there tonight. They will still be out in the cold tomorrow night, every night until we bring them home.
Far more of our veterans lack employment. They lack purpose, a sense of self-worth. They came back heroes. But the warm return can quickly turn to the cold reality of searching for work in a competitive market. The first months are vital. Finding a meaningful job is key.
The sense of being valued can easily slip into a feeling of worthlessness, into depression, alcohol and drugs. So many veterans have already given too much. They have so little left. Nerves are frayed, minds and bodies tired. Alone in a civilian world that has not seen what they have seen, that struggles to understand them.
Too often, stubborn pride kicks in. As soldiers, we know how to live rough. We have done it enough times before. But a few nights can become a month, a year. There is no easy way back from homelessness.
Royal British Legion Industries – Great Tommy Sleep Out
Royal British Legion Industries (RBLI) is a national veterans’ charity. It provides housing, retraining and employment through its veteran village, in-house factory and links with UK industry.
It has helped thousands of struggling service men and women find a place they can call home, and a fulfilling job with Britain’s Bravest Manufacturing Company. But RBLI needs help.
Each year RBLI asks those that can to sleep out for one night in March to fundraise for homeless veterans. You don’t have to sleep rough, on the street – just one night out of your bed. One night sleeping out to complete their national, award-winning challenge – The Great Tommy Sleep Out.
Like many other veterans, each year, I try to join the Great Tommy Sleep Out. I chose to sleep rough for homeless veterans. They are a cause very close to my heart. It could so easily been me that did not find home.
Armed Forces Charities – my author royalties & pledge
My eternally thanks go to RBLI and the other Armed Forces charities. They have watched my back and, if necessary, stood ready to try to pick up the pieces.
If you buy one of my books, I pledge 2% of my royalties as an author will be donated to support veterans. I will also continue to fundraise as best I can. I wish I could give and do more to ensure every veteran gets a fair chance.
My chosen charity is RBLI. If you would like to help them house, retrain and rebuild veterans’ lives, you can donate directly to RBLI via JustGiving. Please give whatever you can. Even the price of a cup of tea will help bring a struggling veteran home.
I give because it is the least that I can do to pay my respects to Tommy Atkins. He remains a sheer bloody inspiration in an ever more fractured world. It was my honour to have stood beside him.
Help Bring a Veteran Home – my thanks & ask
Thank you to all who have given so far. To all who have stopped to talk and put their money in the collection buckets or donated via my JustGiving page, thank you.
Finally, thank you to those who bought us a brew. You kept us going. Thank you to all those that gave us their time and good company before we slept rough for the night.
We are now home. But there are still over 6,000 homeless veterans out there – on UK streets – every night. Please don’t ignore them, don’t walk away. Stop, talk, listen, give what you can for those who have given too much. Help bring them home.
Follow & Read More – author blog, news & events
I hope you feel that this sleeping rough for homeless veterans post was worth reading. You can find and follow more posts on my life as an author at Author Blog. These include posts about my journey from Army to Author and becoming a Historical Fiction Author, as well as being a Veteran & Volunteer and my Author Life & Writing today. If you would like to receive an email notification of my next post, just click the button to follow.
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Divided Kingdom – English Civil War historical fiction
This post aims to offer a little of the backstory to my writing and the Divided Kingdom books. This historical fiction series is set in Early Modern Britain during the English Civil War. Much of the writing is based on my personal experience as a carear soldier with the British Army. I hope you enjoy the books.
The Divided Kingdom books take a fresh approach. They are not based on a single hero. They do not take sides. Their voices – ordinary men and women – face each other in the chaos of Britain in civil war. They are both relatable and sharply relevant today. They are also as historically accurate as is possible. The English Civil War is filled with extraordinary stories that just need to be told. There is no need to add fictional dragons!
Please do check out some of the writing at Divided Kingdom Books, including the reviews, read samples and a FREE ebook short story.
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