Lee’s story

After leaving the Army, Lee worked as an agency forklift driver in Cheltenham.  Life was going well, and Lee moved to a new job which offered him a higher salary and more opportunities.  But when Covid hit the world, since he was still on his probationary period, Lee made himself redundant again.  Lee was living with his girlfriend, but sadly, their relationship ended, and Lee found himself homeless.  He was drinking quite heavily to cope with his feelings at the time.

Lee reached out to all the organisations he could to try and find somewhere to live.  He spoke to his battalion benevolent fund, the RBL, SSAFA, his local council and Alabaré’s Homes for Veterans, who were able to offer him a home plus support to overcome the challenges he was facing with his alcohol consumption.

In early 2022, the team talked to Lee about the opportunity for him to get involved in the new Self-Build Scheme in Ludgershall, and Lee leapt at the chance.  In February, he started attending college, working towards his CSCS card, which would allow him to work on-site, and he successfully joined our scheme this spring.

This course is a lifesaver for people like me. It’s going to put me on the road to recovery and, at the end, provide me with a job and a wage. I’m looking forward to being part of a group again, returning to work and gaining as many skills as possible.

“My outlook has massively changed. I have this opportunity. I’m really excited to take on a diverse range of roles to see what I enjoy most and to build my own home.”

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