1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,239 Speaker 1: Hi. I'm Brandon Webb, former abcal in New York Times 2 00:00:03,279 --> 00:00:06,519 Speaker 1: bestselling author. If you're like me, you want real security 3 00:00:06,519 --> 00:00:09,080 Speaker 1: and defense news you can trust. You're probably tired of 4 00:00:09,119 --> 00:00:11,600 Speaker 1: hearing the same talking heads, guys who have never seen 5 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:15,040 Speaker 1: the front lines, saying the same bs a hundred different ways. 6 00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:18,080 Speaker 1: It's why I founded soft rep dot com military grade 7 00:00:18,079 --> 00:00:21,959 Speaker 1: news produced entirely by our staff of military veteran journalists. 8 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:25,080 Speaker 1: Sign up at soft rep for real news, real experience, 9 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:28,960 Speaker 1: real experts. 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Join our community at soft rep dot com. 19 00:00:57,120 --> 00:01:16,800 Speaker 1: That's s o f r EP dot com. Ah beat force. 20 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:21,479 Speaker 1: If it doesn't work, you're just not using enough. You're 21 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:27,080 Speaker 1: listening to software radio, special operations, military news and straight 22 00:01:27,120 --> 00:02:11,239 Speaker 1: talk with the guys and the community. Okay, welcome to 23 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:14,080 Speaker 1: Suffer at radio. This is Big Phield Campion on target, 24 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:16,520 Speaker 1: on time across the Pond, and I have across the 25 00:02:16,520 --> 00:02:18,760 Speaker 1: pond this week. I'm back home in Blighty doing a 26 00:02:18,760 --> 00:02:21,000 Speaker 1: bit and pieces and I wish, I'm bothered could compare 27 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:24,040 Speaker 1: with the Caribbean. This place is absolutely off the scale, 28 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:27,000 Speaker 1: falling apart weather wise. And we like talking about the 29 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:30,080 Speaker 1: weathers Brits. This place has gone down the pan. We've 30 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:32,480 Speaker 1: got weather warnings coming out of the Union. If you 31 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:34,320 Speaker 1: don't know what weather warning is, have a look on 32 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:36,400 Speaker 1: the box or have a look on social media, which 33 00:02:36,440 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 1: is what I've been encouraging people to do. Look at 34 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:42,080 Speaker 1: social media, see what's going on around them, and pack 35 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:45,600 Speaker 1: their cars appropriately for the weather that they're going to experience. 36 00:02:45,639 --> 00:02:48,760 Speaker 1: Because we are having some terrible time to with the weather. Flooding, 37 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:52,320 Speaker 1: we've got storm warnings, we've got wind, we've got high wind, 38 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:54,840 Speaker 1: we've got don't get on the plane, stay away from 39 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:56,799 Speaker 1: your boat. And if you're in your car, make sure 40 00:02:56,800 --> 00:02:59,520 Speaker 1: it's packed properly. So that's where we're at. I'm not 41 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 1: going to go to in the detail, right, what else 42 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:04,440 Speaker 1: is going on. Well, don't forget create club. Have a 43 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:06,600 Speaker 1: look around there, and there's a few other bits and pieces. 44 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:09,800 Speaker 1: I've got a very special interview for you today. I 45 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:12,120 Speaker 1: am an Importsmouth and we're going to tell you all 46 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:13,639 Speaker 1: about the place where I am in a minute. But 47 00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:16,880 Speaker 1: I'm going to introduce to you the CEO and founder 48 00:03:16,919 --> 00:03:20,640 Speaker 1: have forgotten veteran's UK Gary Weaving, okay, and by the 49 00:03:20,639 --> 00:03:22,840 Speaker 1: time we finished its interview, you will realize that he 50 00:03:22,919 --> 00:03:26,560 Speaker 1: does an extremely important job. How are you boy? Hi 51 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:30,240 Speaker 1: feel Thank you for coming down an interviewing today. I've 52 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:32,600 Speaker 1: been really looking forward to to it and I'm looking 53 00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:35,000 Speaker 1: forward to telling you about what we don't cool. So 54 00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:36,920 Speaker 1: just tell us a little bit about the fort. First 55 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:38,880 Speaker 1: of all, this this place here that because this is 56 00:03:38,920 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 1: a remarkable place, isn't it. Yes it is. We're based 57 00:03:41,720 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 1: at a seventeen hundreds of Napoleonic fort right on the 58 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:48,080 Speaker 1: coast of Portsmouth. It used to be a Royal marine 59 00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:52,160 Speaker 1: base and there's got such history and death and it 60 00:03:52,320 --> 00:03:55,880 Speaker 1: just has a really amazing military feel about it. I'm 61 00:03:55,880 --> 00:03:57,880 Speaker 1: going to post some pictures on the social media, but 62 00:03:57,880 --> 00:03:59,880 Speaker 1: when you see this place, the walls are about seven 63 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:03,160 Speaker 1: in foot fix. It's design is an old design. Apparently 64 00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:05,120 Speaker 1: there was two of room done this way and it 65 00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:08,560 Speaker 1: really is a massively impressive place. But more impressive still 66 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:13,120 Speaker 1: is Forgotten Veterans Duk, which is a charity supporting our troops. 67 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:15,120 Speaker 1: Just just did't was this? How did that come around? 68 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 1: Forgotten resterin Duk sadly feel that the reality of the 69 00:04:18,960 --> 00:04:22,520 Speaker 1: situation was that since I've come out of the Army 70 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:27,480 Speaker 1: Harbor's Royal Engineer, I'm an Afghanistan veteran, I really struggled, 71 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:31,560 Speaker 1: and when I came out into civilian stream, I really 72 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:35,919 Speaker 1: segregated myself and isolated myself because I couldn't handle my 73 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:38,839 Speaker 1: mental health. To be honest, every time I tried to 74 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:41,279 Speaker 1: go and get help, I got turned away from the 75 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:45,280 Speaker 1: civilians and they couldn't unders I couldn't understand what was 76 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:48,720 Speaker 1: wrong with me. So that the reality of what we've 77 00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:52,920 Speaker 1: done here is simple. When I needed restite care, when 78 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:56,440 Speaker 1: I was at my absolute lowest, when I needed to 79 00:04:56,600 --> 00:04:59,159 Speaker 1: have a break and to give my family a break, 80 00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:02,680 Speaker 1: there was nowhere. There was nowhere designed to take me 81 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:08,120 Speaker 1: with the problems that I had at short notice. So oh, incidentally, 82 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:11,760 Speaker 1: all I've actually done is create what I needed to 83 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:14,320 Speaker 1: have for you. So from experience, mostly you had you 84 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:16,400 Speaker 1: had mental health problem, which is a huge problem at 85 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:18,960 Speaker 1: the moment. You know we're talking suicide. You know, at 86 00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:21,800 Speaker 1: the time when celebrities are committing suicide. You know there's 87 00:05:21,839 --> 00:05:24,679 Speaker 1: guys doing this on a regular basis, isn't it. Yes, 88 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:28,839 Speaker 1: When I originally started on Facebook, just by a pure fluke, 89 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:33,359 Speaker 1: one tweet has changed my life forever. And as sadly 90 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:36,280 Speaker 1: I tweeted, I've never felt so alone since I left 91 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:39,480 Speaker 1: the Army, and I went from thirty Twitter followers to 92 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:43,479 Speaker 1: eight thousand in nearly six weeks because I laid my 93 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:45,880 Speaker 1: heart out to the world and I told them what 94 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:48,880 Speaker 1: had gone wrong with me, how I fell, and what 95 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:51,400 Speaker 1: I could see was coming wrong with others. Okay, and 96 00:05:51,440 --> 00:05:53,240 Speaker 1: I think that there's a very important point we had 97 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:56,599 Speaker 1: that that number one number one lesson in all of 98 00:05:56,600 --> 00:05:58,800 Speaker 1: this from me and I see it repeatedly now, is 99 00:05:58,839 --> 00:06:01,240 Speaker 1: you need to say you have to start, You have 100 00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:03,839 Speaker 1: to stick your hand up and acknowledge that there's something 101 00:06:03,880 --> 00:06:07,280 Speaker 1: going wrong. Yeah. Of course, when I needed a buddy, 102 00:06:07,440 --> 00:06:09,840 Speaker 1: when I needed someone to talk to, someone to give 103 00:06:09,920 --> 00:06:13,080 Speaker 1: me directions, someone to support me, someone to give me 104 00:06:13,120 --> 00:06:16,600 Speaker 1: information about where I needed to go. There was nowhere, 105 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:19,640 Speaker 1: So I started a buddy scheme on Facebook and it 106 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:22,599 Speaker 1: just took off and we've ended up with nearly six 107 00:06:22,680 --> 00:06:26,480 Speaker 1: hundred clients in our books. When I needed a hardship payment, 108 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:29,240 Speaker 1: you know, sixteen pound fifty to get to a mental 109 00:06:29,279 --> 00:06:32,440 Speaker 1: health appointment, I couldn't get it, So we started up 110 00:06:32,440 --> 00:06:36,880 Speaker 1: a hard sktship scheme. So their service has forgotten. Veterans 111 00:06:36,920 --> 00:06:41,960 Speaker 1: have created were actually is what I needed in my life, 112 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:46,400 Speaker 1: and you know, yourself lived in experiences paramount and that's 113 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:50,680 Speaker 1: the problem. We're getting sort of cared for and treated 114 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:55,400 Speaker 1: by some civilians, not but some that really don't understand 115 00:06:55,560 --> 00:06:58,919 Speaker 1: the military way and don't understand the brothership that the 116 00:06:59,040 --> 00:07:02,760 Speaker 1: veterans and have just to explain, how did you fall 117 00:07:02,839 --> 00:07:05,159 Speaker 1: upon this place, and what is the point of this place? 118 00:07:05,200 --> 00:07:07,159 Speaker 1: What do you actually do? What? What what is it 119 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:09,960 Speaker 1: you're doing here that people aren't doing elsewhere. We've been 120 00:07:10,080 --> 00:07:13,480 Speaker 1: very successful actually over the last year. We've only been 121 00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:17,120 Speaker 1: open a year and we've actually had over seven hundred 122 00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:20,960 Speaker 1: veterans come to us from all over the country silly 123 00:07:20,960 --> 00:07:25,040 Speaker 1: times in the morning for emergency crisis care. So if 124 00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:28,320 Speaker 1: a hospital in Birmingham, and that's quite a few hundred 125 00:07:28,320 --> 00:07:32,000 Speaker 1: miles away. For the American audience brings us at two 126 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:34,960 Speaker 1: o'clock in the morning and says, we cannot help this 127 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:38,640 Speaker 1: veteran any further, but we really fairly should be supported 128 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:41,600 Speaker 1: and looked after for a few days. So if we 129 00:07:41,680 --> 00:07:45,080 Speaker 1: get that call, my army a volunteers or people that 130 00:07:45,160 --> 00:07:48,320 Speaker 1: live locally that are volunteers will go and get them, 131 00:07:48,680 --> 00:07:51,440 Speaker 1: bring them to Fort Cumberland, and what we offer them 132 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:54,920 Speaker 1: is four days free nights of crisis support with a 133 00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:58,680 Speaker 1: small care support team. But just bringing them here fill 134 00:07:58,800 --> 00:08:01,880 Speaker 1: isn't the answer. Yes, it will unwind them, Yes it 135 00:08:01,920 --> 00:08:06,000 Speaker 1: will relax them. Yes it will give them better understanding 136 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:10,080 Speaker 1: and send them home brighter. But if they're only returning 137 00:08:10,120 --> 00:08:14,040 Speaker 1: to the problems at home that are already there, then 138 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:16,800 Speaker 1: we're setting them up to fight. So the moment they 139 00:08:16,840 --> 00:08:19,360 Speaker 1: get hit day when they get here, my tea and 140 00:08:19,440 --> 00:08:21,920 Speaker 1: my management team in the office, and our contacts in 141 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:28,040 Speaker 1: other charities, local agencies, police, adults, social care. You know, 142 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:31,800 Speaker 1: every client's different, every veterans different. What the problem? What 143 00:08:31,880 --> 00:08:34,080 Speaker 1: sort of problems are you getting here? Is it financial? 144 00:08:34,280 --> 00:08:37,520 Speaker 1: Is it mental health? Is it all of the above 145 00:08:37,559 --> 00:08:39,960 Speaker 1: plus a few more. What was was the main thing, 146 00:08:40,040 --> 00:08:42,600 Speaker 1: the thing to come through the door? Well, a lot 147 00:08:42,640 --> 00:08:47,160 Speaker 1: of them come with post traumatic stress symptoms. But the 148 00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:50,800 Speaker 1: reality is, at the moment in England does seem to 149 00:08:50,880 --> 00:08:54,319 Speaker 1: be used as an umbrella term. And when you remind 150 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:56,559 Speaker 1: them a little bit and starts to understand the story 151 00:08:56,600 --> 00:08:59,600 Speaker 1: a little bit of what's actually gone on, you soon 152 00:08:59,720 --> 00:09:03,720 Speaker 1: here it's a culmination of mental health problems and often 153 00:09:04,679 --> 00:09:06,640 Speaker 1: straw on the camel's back sort of things. So you 154 00:09:06,679 --> 00:09:09,120 Speaker 1: have a little bit because I've always said, you're only 155 00:09:09,160 --> 00:09:12,720 Speaker 1: two poor decisions away from having an absolute epic nightmare, 156 00:09:12,960 --> 00:09:14,840 Speaker 1: because I mean, you have too much to drink one night, 157 00:09:14,960 --> 00:09:18,320 Speaker 1: you go home, you smash your window, the police will involved. Boom, 158 00:09:18,320 --> 00:09:20,680 Speaker 1: you have free nice boom, you're off, your job goes, 159 00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:22,280 Speaker 1: You don't the plan. Now you've got no money, you 160 00:09:22,320 --> 00:09:25,160 Speaker 1: can't pay your bills. Now you're getting into a situation 161 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:27,280 Speaker 1: where you're thinking your life room and thinking, oh my god, 162 00:09:27,320 --> 00:09:30,200 Speaker 1: where did it possibly go wrong? And moreover, you're probably 163 00:09:30,280 --> 00:09:33,000 Speaker 1: thinking how can I make it get better? Yeah? That's right. 164 00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:36,880 Speaker 1: So unless we start helping the individual problems, whether it's debt, 165 00:09:36,920 --> 00:09:42,560 Speaker 1: whether it's addiction, whether it's breakdown of family relations, homelessness, hardship. 166 00:09:43,040 --> 00:09:46,600 Speaker 1: Unless we start addressing those each individual problems, the mental 167 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:49,720 Speaker 1: health is never going to improve. We take the approach 168 00:09:49,760 --> 00:09:55,120 Speaker 1: here prevention is sometimes better than cure. Absolutely all day long. 169 00:09:55,400 --> 00:09:58,680 Speaker 1: We don't have therapy, is said very qualified ones that 170 00:09:58,720 --> 00:10:01,280 Speaker 1: are prepared to sit with them and talk to them. 171 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:04,480 Speaker 1: We do a care plan, We really look into what 172 00:10:05,080 --> 00:10:08,960 Speaker 1: the issues are. But a lot of them just need 173 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:11,440 Speaker 1: to get their lives back in order and get their 174 00:10:11,520 --> 00:10:14,880 Speaker 1: ducks back in a rug. That's I mean, it's commendable. 175 00:10:15,520 --> 00:10:17,959 Speaker 1: How are you funding this here? What? What? What funding 176 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:21,840 Speaker 1: have you got? You've got anything? Well, the reality is 177 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:25,160 Speaker 1: we're called Forgotten Veterans UK and I'm also known as 178 00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:28,520 Speaker 1: a campaigner for veterans rights. I've stood up from the 179 00:10:28,559 --> 00:10:31,320 Speaker 1: beginning and been very honest and very vocal about my 180 00:10:31,440 --> 00:10:35,120 Speaker 1: problems and the problems of our community when we try 181 00:10:35,200 --> 00:10:38,439 Speaker 1: to get funding too doing the renovations. Sadly we've returned 182 00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:42,199 Speaker 1: down on every grant we applied for. So high funded 183 00:10:42,200 --> 00:10:44,520 Speaker 1: it myself and I mean, okay, just to put this 184 00:10:44,559 --> 00:10:47,839 Speaker 1: into perspective, I came here before this had been done, 185 00:10:48,320 --> 00:10:50,720 Speaker 1: and it was an empty shell of the inside of 186 00:10:50,720 --> 00:10:52,560 Speaker 1: the wall. There was nothing here. You could not have 187 00:10:52,640 --> 00:10:54,920 Speaker 1: lived in here. It was dank, there was rats on 188 00:10:54,960 --> 00:10:57,600 Speaker 1: the floor, there was it was an absolute mess. And 189 00:10:57,640 --> 00:10:59,599 Speaker 1: now I'm sat around as a ball table. There's a 190 00:10:59,640 --> 00:11:02,319 Speaker 1: nice and floor has been painted, there's some leather sofas. 191 00:11:02,800 --> 00:11:05,520 Speaker 1: You know, the place is looking like like home. Do 192 00:11:05,520 --> 00:11:07,199 Speaker 1: you know when you are offering what you say on 193 00:11:07,240 --> 00:11:08,920 Speaker 1: the tints, you know that you can come here and 194 00:11:08,920 --> 00:11:12,360 Speaker 1: you can fully chill out. There's no luxuries ere film, 195 00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:16,679 Speaker 1: because I will not waste money on unnecessary items. As 196 00:11:16,760 --> 00:11:20,520 Speaker 1: long as things are clean, tide and sanitary, that's that's 197 00:11:20,520 --> 00:11:24,400 Speaker 1: good enough for us. We see such a changing people feel, 198 00:11:24,600 --> 00:11:28,120 Speaker 1: and it's actually a structure. They come usually for a 199 00:11:28,160 --> 00:11:31,760 Speaker 1: C one, which is an immediate crisis camp. Then quite 200 00:11:31,800 --> 00:11:34,240 Speaker 1: often they come back for a C two, which is 201 00:11:34,559 --> 00:11:37,360 Speaker 1: I'd like to come back again, but maybe in a 202 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:39,920 Speaker 1: couple of weeks. But then we build them up to 203 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:42,319 Speaker 1: the stage they come to a C free, which is 204 00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:46,000 Speaker 1: a monthly group camp, and then we've really seen them 205 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:49,480 Speaker 1: engaging again, and we put them into a private network 206 00:11:49,559 --> 00:11:53,080 Speaker 1: on Facebook that only people from full crumbling can access. 207 00:11:53,760 --> 00:11:57,559 Speaker 1: So there's your socialization. We instantly enroll them into the 208 00:11:57,600 --> 00:12:03,079 Speaker 1: body scheme, so there's your seven contact support therail. The 209 00:12:03,240 --> 00:12:06,560 Speaker 1: umality of it is, for so many years we've been 210 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:08,960 Speaker 1: told what's wrong with us and what we're going to get, 211 00:12:09,360 --> 00:12:12,400 Speaker 1: but a lot of them haven't actually stopped and spoken 212 00:12:12,440 --> 00:12:15,520 Speaker 1: to the veterans. If you ask them what they want, 213 00:12:15,679 --> 00:12:18,920 Speaker 1: they will tell you this is their home. They helped 214 00:12:18,960 --> 00:12:22,319 Speaker 1: build it, they helped run it, and they feel like 215 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:26,319 Speaker 1: it belongs to them. And it's good to have some 216 00:12:26,400 --> 00:12:29,280 Speaker 1: regulars back that are still going up the seventh step 217 00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:32,600 Speaker 1: program because what they do is they sweep up the 218 00:12:32,640 --> 00:12:36,719 Speaker 1: new piece and they support them because then you can 219 00:12:36,720 --> 00:12:38,319 Speaker 1: see light at the end of the tunnel, can't you 220 00:12:38,320 --> 00:12:40,400 Speaker 1: You can see you know what I was there? But 221 00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:43,680 Speaker 1: actually was that? Now he's up here or that girl 222 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:46,240 Speaker 1: or whatever whoever it happens to be. Does this a 223 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:48,880 Speaker 1: little about the accommodation? What was the deal when to 224 00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:51,720 Speaker 1: come here? Work? What do they stay? Currently? We've got 225 00:12:51,880 --> 00:12:55,679 Speaker 1: it is a campsite, so if they want to camp outside, 226 00:12:55,720 --> 00:12:59,600 Speaker 1: they can. They can also stay indoors if they wish to. 227 00:12:59,760 --> 00:13:06,360 Speaker 1: It's usually the Navy in the r A F Escape 228 00:13:06,360 --> 00:13:11,320 Speaker 1: that the Army lads are outside their players usual We're 229 00:13:11,320 --> 00:13:15,360 Speaker 1: about to get some fully insulated jets that have been 230 00:13:15,400 --> 00:13:19,640 Speaker 1: donated well with solar panels and log burners, so that 231 00:13:19,760 --> 00:13:23,920 Speaker 1: will give outside winter accommodation. And if we get this 232 00:13:24,040 --> 00:13:27,959 Speaker 1: next funding bid from the NHS, then we're looking to 233 00:13:28,120 --> 00:13:32,280 Speaker 1: open to nighttime billits and a veteran's workshop as well. 234 00:13:33,320 --> 00:13:37,080 Speaker 1: And we encourage the local ones that want to be 235 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:40,040 Speaker 1: involved and are fed up. They're they're too ill to work, 236 00:13:40,480 --> 00:13:42,959 Speaker 1: but we encourage the local ones to come down here 237 00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:46,120 Speaker 1: on the daily basis. What we run is the Seventh 238 00:13:46,160 --> 00:13:49,120 Speaker 1: Step program film, and I'm not going to bore you 239 00:13:49,160 --> 00:13:56,800 Speaker 1: with it into understand ultimately the first step is the 240 00:13:56,880 --> 00:14:00,280 Speaker 1: hardest step. The first step is holding your hand out 241 00:14:00,280 --> 00:14:02,960 Speaker 1: and saying please, can I have help? Okay, So that's 242 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:06,120 Speaker 1: the thought eureka moment. That's the that's them, that's the 243 00:14:06,160 --> 00:14:09,240 Speaker 1: one we can go. We can work with that now, Yeah, okay, 244 00:14:09,360 --> 00:14:12,640 Speaker 1: we give them a second chance. I'm not interested in 245 00:14:12,720 --> 00:14:16,199 Speaker 1: what they've done before. They don't have excuses, but often 246 00:14:16,280 --> 00:14:19,160 Speaker 1: there is reasons. So we give them a clean slate 247 00:14:19,200 --> 00:14:22,880 Speaker 1: and we don't judge them. That's also very important. You know, 248 00:14:22,920 --> 00:14:25,120 Speaker 1: having visited a number of people imprison myself and that 249 00:14:25,160 --> 00:14:27,120 Speaker 1: sort of stuff. They're worried that when they get on 250 00:14:27,160 --> 00:14:29,560 Speaker 1: the out, when I'm judged. Now I'm scarred, I'm doing 251 00:14:30,280 --> 00:14:32,200 Speaker 1: I'm filthy now I can't There's nothing's going to touch 252 00:14:32,200 --> 00:14:34,400 Speaker 1: me anymore, you know what I mean? And you know 253 00:14:34,400 --> 00:14:37,200 Speaker 1: when I spent people Jim Davidson, those sorts of people 254 00:14:37,640 --> 00:14:39,640 Speaker 1: at some stage, we're trying to have have all held down 255 00:14:39,640 --> 00:14:41,960 Speaker 1: a decent job and we're doing the right thing. Of course, 256 00:14:42,080 --> 00:14:43,600 Speaker 1: there has to be a reason, isn't there? Do you 257 00:14:43,600 --> 00:14:45,640 Speaker 1: know what I mean? I think that's important. Well, the 258 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:49,200 Speaker 1: reason they followed me, and there reason that they listened 259 00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:51,600 Speaker 1: to us is because I've come from that side of 260 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:54,800 Speaker 1: the track. I've had my own suicidal problems. I've got 261 00:14:54,840 --> 00:14:57,240 Speaker 1: my own health problems. I've got my own mental health 262 00:14:57,280 --> 00:15:02,360 Speaker 1: problems and lived in experiences paramount. And then ultimately, as 263 00:15:02,400 --> 00:15:05,080 Speaker 1: they go up the program, they given more and more 264 00:15:05,120 --> 00:15:10,800 Speaker 1: responsibility to support and guide others. And then ultimately at 265 00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:13,560 Speaker 1: the end we then say, right, we're going to stick 266 00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:16,200 Speaker 1: your mental health courses, We're gonna stick you on suicide 267 00:15:16,200 --> 00:15:20,160 Speaker 1: prevention courses. We're going to invest into them like they've 268 00:15:20,240 --> 00:15:24,640 Speaker 1: invested into our projects. And then they're ready to go 269 00:15:24,720 --> 00:15:29,200 Speaker 1: back to step one and truly support someone else. I 270 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:31,360 Speaker 1: just want to talk about one thing, and this is 271 00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:37,400 Speaker 1: very important. Hope. Hope is a very powerful world film. 272 00:15:37,520 --> 00:15:42,040 Speaker 1: When you don't have hope, life becomes hopeless. When life 273 00:15:42,080 --> 00:15:45,360 Speaker 1: is hopeless, it becomes dangerous. And that is when you 274 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:48,880 Speaker 1: lose the will to live. To have hope, you must 275 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:52,520 Speaker 1: have goals. If you set to bigger goals fill they 276 00:15:52,520 --> 00:15:56,080 Speaker 1: will fail and slip back down to hopelessness. So what 277 00:15:56,160 --> 00:15:59,240 Speaker 1: we do with them, we work on their positives, excel 278 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:02,080 Speaker 1: them for find out what is most important. And I've 279 00:16:02,080 --> 00:16:04,800 Speaker 1: seen it in a lot of communities. The negativity that's 280 00:16:04,800 --> 00:16:09,080 Speaker 1: been generated is almost overwhelming the positivities. And you're right, 281 00:16:09,280 --> 00:16:12,720 Speaker 1: with nothing positives, there is no hope, is there. It's 282 00:16:12,720 --> 00:16:16,000 Speaker 1: obviously they've got negatives in their lives. But what we 283 00:16:16,080 --> 00:16:19,640 Speaker 1: get them to understand is there's negatives you can change 284 00:16:19,920 --> 00:16:23,040 Speaker 1: and there's negatives that you can't. So you need to 285 00:16:23,120 --> 00:16:27,360 Speaker 1: differentiate between the two. You can't change the past. All 286 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:29,960 Speaker 1: you can do is try and learn from it and 287 00:16:30,080 --> 00:16:33,480 Speaker 1: move forward. And I asked them, if they eat too much, 288 00:16:33,720 --> 00:16:36,280 Speaker 1: eat a bit less, If they drink too much, drink 289 00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:38,400 Speaker 1: a bit less. If they don't get up in the 290 00:16:38,400 --> 00:16:43,160 Speaker 1: morning setting along, take slow and grad your steps towards 291 00:16:43,400 --> 00:16:47,720 Speaker 1: your negatives in a positive manner. Then the people around you, 292 00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:50,480 Speaker 1: the people that some that have given up on you 293 00:16:50,640 --> 00:16:54,520 Speaker 1: because of your behaviors, will finally see this isn't a 294 00:16:54,520 --> 00:16:58,360 Speaker 1: fan this isn't a phase. This is their actions are 295 00:16:58,360 --> 00:17:00,560 Speaker 1: always going to speak loud of the words. Aren't on 296 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:03,280 Speaker 1: your road to recovery, And especially if people do give 297 00:17:03,360 --> 00:17:05,879 Speaker 1: up on you. I've been given up on myself before 298 00:17:05,920 --> 00:17:08,040 Speaker 1: more than once. You know what I mean, You earned 299 00:17:08,080 --> 00:17:09,520 Speaker 1: that right, you have to earn that right back, but 300 00:17:09,520 --> 00:17:11,040 Speaker 1: you have no reason to learn that right back. Then. 301 00:17:11,680 --> 00:17:14,040 Speaker 1: Look at the end of the day, Phil, if people 302 00:17:14,080 --> 00:17:18,199 Speaker 1: hadn't given me dispersed chance, second chance, third chance, for 303 00:17:18,800 --> 00:17:22,480 Speaker 1: fourth chance, I wouldn't be here today. And what I'm 304 00:17:22,520 --> 00:17:25,520 Speaker 1: trying to instill into these veterans, young and old, male 305 00:17:25,640 --> 00:17:30,320 Speaker 1: and female, doesn't matter what what service, what care, what conflict, 306 00:17:30,480 --> 00:17:34,360 Speaker 1: is if I can come back from that broken, broken 307 00:17:34,400 --> 00:17:38,240 Speaker 1: man they wanted to leave this world and turn my 308 00:17:38,359 --> 00:17:41,800 Speaker 1: life into a positive to help others and become an 309 00:17:41,840 --> 00:17:47,479 Speaker 1: asset to society, then they can absolutely and I totally 310 00:17:47,520 --> 00:17:49,359 Speaker 1: concur with with all of that. You know, having been 311 00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:52,240 Speaker 1: close to the win myself. More than once, I've asked 312 00:17:52,240 --> 00:17:54,600 Speaker 1: myself that question, do I want to be here soon? 313 00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:56,359 Speaker 1: As you ask myself that question, And it's a hard 314 00:17:56,400 --> 00:17:59,399 Speaker 1: question to ask yourself. It's not nice, it's not something, 315 00:18:00,040 --> 00:18:02,199 Speaker 1: it's not something you want to visit. Anybody you know 316 00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:04,720 Speaker 1: will care about going through something. All of this is 317 00:18:04,760 --> 00:18:07,760 Speaker 1: anybody going through. To be honest, most just want to 318 00:18:07,880 --> 00:18:11,840 Speaker 1: feel that they mean something. I was lost because I 319 00:18:11,960 --> 00:18:16,199 Speaker 1: had no future. I was disabled from the army, I 320 00:18:16,240 --> 00:18:20,080 Speaker 1: had severe mental health problems. I wasn't getting supportive properly. 321 00:18:20,600 --> 00:18:23,800 Speaker 1: The large charities were giving sloping shoulders because you're too 322 00:18:23,880 --> 00:18:27,719 Speaker 1: much trouble. And I just didn't see a future for myself. 323 00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:32,800 Speaker 1: And I'm lucky. I've got a wife, two children, and 324 00:18:32,880 --> 00:18:36,159 Speaker 1: a house and a car. And my menical health was 325 00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:40,320 Speaker 1: so dark that I convinced myself all I was doing 326 00:18:40,880 --> 00:18:43,600 Speaker 1: was holding them back in life, and the greatest sign 327 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:46,080 Speaker 1: of love I could show them was to end and 328 00:18:46,480 --> 00:18:49,159 Speaker 1: of my misery. I mean that is that that is 329 00:18:49,200 --> 00:18:51,360 Speaker 1: a corner to being on it. That is a corner 330 00:18:51,480 --> 00:18:53,760 Speaker 1: right there, and that is ridiculous. Do you mean in 331 00:18:53,760 --> 00:18:55,159 Speaker 1: the terms of what you are now, what you were 332 00:18:55,200 --> 00:18:58,520 Speaker 1: doing what you've say say now these it is. I've 333 00:18:58,560 --> 00:19:00,280 Speaker 1: always said the people you don't get a lot when 334 00:19:00,280 --> 00:19:03,320 Speaker 1: there's planet the time we got here, you should try 335 00:19:03,359 --> 00:19:05,920 Speaker 1: and feel it as much positive as your game. I'm 336 00:19:05,920 --> 00:19:08,840 Speaker 1: Brandon Webb, former Navy Seal and founder of the Create Club. 337 00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:11,920 Speaker 1: Tired of the same old gift ideas. Want military grade 338 00:19:11,960 --> 00:19:15,080 Speaker 1: survival gear delivered to your doorstep, then get Create Club 339 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:18,320 Speaker 1: the box built by Navy Seals, Army rangers, and special 340 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:22,400 Speaker 1: arts guys with backpacks, holsters and more military grade gear. 341 00:19:22,560 --> 00:19:24,520 Speaker 1: It's a perfect gift for the guy in your life. 342 00:19:24,680 --> 00:19:27,719 Speaker 1: Subscribe to Create Club and will also include The Killing School, 343 00:19:27,920 --> 00:19:31,400 Speaker 1: my best selling e book about America's elite snipers. That's 344 00:19:31,440 --> 00:19:36,560 Speaker 1: Craig Club dot com. C r A T Club dot com. 345 00:19:36,840 --> 00:19:39,240 Speaker 1: Was there returning point view? Was there a switch which 346 00:19:39,320 --> 00:19:42,280 Speaker 1: you can go? Yet? When that switch was hit, that's 347 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:44,320 Speaker 1: when I flipped over. That's when I claim out. Is 348 00:19:44,560 --> 00:19:47,760 Speaker 1: one of the hardest things I ever had was come 349 00:19:47,800 --> 00:19:50,760 Speaker 1: home after a very serious or suicide attempt where I 350 00:19:50,880 --> 00:19:55,520 Speaker 1: nearly died, and I explained to my nature children, MM, 351 00:19:55,640 --> 00:19:58,760 Speaker 1: excuse me, well, I didn't want to be that dad anymore. 352 00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:02,240 Speaker 1: That mean that you make your meet well up here 353 00:20:02,640 --> 00:20:05,879 Speaker 1: watching that. That's just that's a horrible thing to doing it, 354 00:20:05,960 --> 00:20:08,320 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. I believe the voices in 355 00:20:08,400 --> 00:20:12,200 Speaker 1: my head. I believe the negatives. I believe that I 356 00:20:12,359 --> 00:20:15,200 Speaker 1: was no good. I wasn't. Man, You've been facing your 357 00:20:15,280 --> 00:20:18,240 Speaker 1: children like that and realizing that it was one of these. 358 00:20:18,640 --> 00:20:20,919 Speaker 1: That was a plunger moment, that was a boom. That's 359 00:20:20,960 --> 00:20:22,679 Speaker 1: that's set that off. That's going to push me back 360 00:20:22,720 --> 00:20:23,760 Speaker 1: a bit, you know what I mean, that's going to 361 00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:26,960 Speaker 1: get me out of this. It did help, but the 362 00:20:27,040 --> 00:20:31,760 Speaker 1: reality it was it wasn't my time. And I'm not 363 00:20:31,800 --> 00:20:35,879 Speaker 1: a religious man, but for the grace of God, I survived. 364 00:20:36,440 --> 00:20:39,479 Speaker 1: And the hospital said to me, I took nearly eighty 365 00:20:39,560 --> 00:20:43,560 Speaker 1: thousand milligrams of tablets and if I had had one 366 00:20:43,640 --> 00:20:46,680 Speaker 1: drink because I don't drink because of my poor mental health, 367 00:20:47,600 --> 00:20:51,240 Speaker 1: I would have been dead. So it wasn't my time. 368 00:20:51,680 --> 00:20:54,760 Speaker 1: And this was a twist of fate, you know, like 369 00:20:54,960 --> 00:20:58,720 Speaker 1: news veterans, some of us had come from tubbled childhood's. 370 00:20:59,040 --> 00:21:02,200 Speaker 1: Some of us have come from difficult places. I've seen 371 00:21:02,280 --> 00:21:05,320 Speaker 1: your excellent tour and the life speaks you give Phil 372 00:21:05,600 --> 00:21:08,280 Speaker 1: and you don't make bones to the fact that you know, 373 00:21:08,440 --> 00:21:12,200 Speaker 1: pre Army use a bit of a boy. Yeah, that 374 00:21:12,280 --> 00:21:14,879 Speaker 1: Geordan's own stuff, did I mean? You know, I didn't 375 00:21:14,880 --> 00:21:17,120 Speaker 1: come from the best of the best of the stock, 376 00:21:17,200 --> 00:21:18,480 Speaker 1: as it would be called, you know what I mean. 377 00:21:18,520 --> 00:21:20,920 Speaker 1: But I think the important thing that I've always tried 378 00:21:20,920 --> 00:21:23,440 Speaker 1: to get is a positive from a negative and deal 379 00:21:23,480 --> 00:21:25,520 Speaker 1: with the cards I've got, do you know? I mean, 380 00:21:25,560 --> 00:21:28,879 Speaker 1: because I can't change those cards I've got to deal with. Well, 381 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:32,120 Speaker 1: it's only now, all these years later. I came out 382 00:21:32,119 --> 00:21:35,080 Speaker 1: in two thousand and ten in a terrible way. It's 383 00:21:35,119 --> 00:21:38,840 Speaker 1: now two thousand and twenty. Only now until I know 384 00:21:39,000 --> 00:21:41,719 Speaker 1: that my whole life experience has been for a reason. 385 00:21:42,280 --> 00:21:45,119 Speaker 1: I've been in prisoned pre Army. I've done some things 386 00:21:45,160 --> 00:21:49,639 Speaker 1: I'm not very proud of, and the reality is what 387 00:21:49,800 --> 00:21:54,200 Speaker 1: it has actually tailed me into is a very liberally minded, 388 00:21:54,440 --> 00:21:58,760 Speaker 1: open minded man that's willing to give the worst for 389 00:21:58,880 --> 00:22:03,639 Speaker 1: cotton veterans a chance when others wouldn't. Absolutely, I think 390 00:22:03,680 --> 00:22:06,000 Speaker 1: that is so important to two people that do think 391 00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:09,280 Speaker 1: that they've forgotten as well. A prime example of some 392 00:22:09,480 --> 00:22:11,840 Speaker 1: of our work, and I have to be careful because 393 00:22:11,840 --> 00:22:16,440 Speaker 1: of GDP, but we had a young lady recently who 394 00:22:16,600 --> 00:22:19,600 Speaker 1: hasn't seen and I haven't seen her children for six 395 00:22:19,680 --> 00:22:24,200 Speaker 1: years due to her mental health. And instead of her 396 00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:28,160 Speaker 1: being supported, it made her worse because she wasn't being supported. 397 00:22:28,800 --> 00:22:32,480 Speaker 1: She came here three months ago and has spent time 398 00:22:32,560 --> 00:22:35,280 Speaker 1: at camps, has spent time with the body scheme, the 399 00:22:35,359 --> 00:22:38,960 Speaker 1: fair Abyss. She calls me whenever she needs to and 400 00:22:39,080 --> 00:22:44,639 Speaker 1: we have now just got her access supervised visit for 401 00:22:44,800 --> 00:22:48,320 Speaker 1: one weekend a month. The change in her has been 402 00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:52,800 Speaker 1: absolutely phenomenal. And the social worker and the barrister pulled 403 00:22:52,840 --> 00:22:55,960 Speaker 1: me over and said, what have you done? What? Why 404 00:22:56,480 --> 00:22:59,560 Speaker 1: is this a different help? And I said because I 405 00:22:59,640 --> 00:23:06,399 Speaker 1: showed care, understanding, gave her time and wanting to help her. Okay, 406 00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:11,040 Speaker 1: So going back a little bit, because we sorts, we've 407 00:23:11,080 --> 00:23:15,000 Speaker 1: gone down the different parts matter. What's it funding? How 408 00:23:15,160 --> 00:23:17,879 Speaker 1: you find what? What? What is funding this? What's keeping 409 00:23:17,880 --> 00:23:19,920 Speaker 1: this alive? I mean your passion, it's obviously keeping it 410 00:23:19,960 --> 00:23:23,480 Speaker 1: alive for one and the staff. You've got a superb 411 00:23:23,560 --> 00:23:25,680 Speaker 1: you know two of three personal friends for a long 412 00:23:25,680 --> 00:23:28,000 Speaker 1: time ago, so I know them. How can people help 413 00:23:28,040 --> 00:23:30,920 Speaker 1: with this? Complete will help? Well? Because how do we fund? 414 00:23:30,960 --> 00:23:34,480 Speaker 1: There's nearly forty people that have involved in the charity. 415 00:23:35,040 --> 00:23:37,640 Speaker 1: Some are on my internet team and based all over 416 00:23:37,680 --> 00:23:41,000 Speaker 1: the country. There's about twenty hair that are based and 417 00:23:41,160 --> 00:23:44,800 Speaker 1: supporting Hair but the management, the care support team. But 418 00:23:44,880 --> 00:23:48,320 Speaker 1: no one gets paid. No one's ever been paid. I've 419 00:23:48,359 --> 00:23:51,600 Speaker 1: never been made and that's kept the cost down to 420 00:23:51,680 --> 00:23:56,199 Speaker 1: a minimum. So last year we gave about everything we 421 00:23:56,320 --> 00:23:59,440 Speaker 1: raised away because I believe the money belongs to the 422 00:23:59,520 --> 00:24:03,480 Speaker 1: veteran and I've taken this attitude from the start, and 423 00:24:03,600 --> 00:24:06,760 Speaker 1: actually the British public and the veteran community has got 424 00:24:06,840 --> 00:24:10,040 Speaker 1: behind me and said it's about time there is a 425 00:24:10,119 --> 00:24:14,240 Speaker 1: charity of this EPOS and they want to give us 426 00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:17,000 Speaker 1: their pounds because they know it's going to do the 427 00:24:17,080 --> 00:24:22,400 Speaker 1: greatest amount of work. So you take the of each 428 00:24:22,400 --> 00:24:24,920 Speaker 1: pound will be going. We'll be going straight to the 429 00:24:24,960 --> 00:24:27,840 Speaker 1: veterans causes and and to the veteran themselves, which you 430 00:24:27,880 --> 00:24:30,920 Speaker 1: know we do see with these other larger charities. People 431 00:24:30,960 --> 00:24:33,080 Speaker 1: always bang on about the percentage of what actually of 432 00:24:33,280 --> 00:24:35,920 Speaker 1: your pound that you donate going to the to the troops, 433 00:24:36,240 --> 00:24:38,159 Speaker 1: and it always seems to be quite low for me, 434 00:24:38,359 --> 00:24:41,840 Speaker 1: to be honest, past share our administration rates two and 435 00:24:41,880 --> 00:24:45,680 Speaker 1: a half percent, so seven point five p of your 436 00:24:45,720 --> 00:24:49,640 Speaker 1: money out of your pounds or your dollar will code 437 00:24:49,720 --> 00:24:53,640 Speaker 1: directly to r on a veteran to raise these dollars though, 438 00:24:53,680 --> 00:24:55,240 Speaker 1: what you're doing? I know you did the sleep out 439 00:24:55,320 --> 00:24:57,879 Speaker 1: in Portsmouth and all that sort of stuff. Yes, what 440 00:24:57,960 --> 00:25:01,520 Speaker 1: are your other avenues for raising? We run a stand 441 00:25:01,560 --> 00:25:04,159 Speaker 1: in order scheme and people donate on the basis on 442 00:25:04,200 --> 00:25:08,440 Speaker 1: a monthly basis. We sell a lot of merchandise. We've 443 00:25:08,480 --> 00:25:12,320 Speaker 1: got people doing events and functions and fundraisers all over 444 00:25:12,320 --> 00:25:16,680 Speaker 1: the country. We just had the most to this last weekend, 445 00:25:16,720 --> 00:25:22,160 Speaker 1: the most incredible fundraisers. Two young veterans tabs for nearly 446 00:25:22,240 --> 00:25:26,000 Speaker 1: eighteen hours through the night to have the circumference of 447 00:25:26,040 --> 00:25:30,679 Speaker 1: the whole island. And they're nose five hundred quid is 448 00:25:30,720 --> 00:25:34,960 Speaker 1: it fortunes? But that doesn't matter. It doesn't matter a 449 00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:40,040 Speaker 1: community guessing up and supporting and helping ourselves. We've added 450 00:25:40,040 --> 00:25:44,720 Speaker 1: another old soldier, the long serving soldier, most delightful old man. 451 00:25:45,119 --> 00:25:47,080 Speaker 1: And he came to us and he said, I'd like 452 00:25:47,200 --> 00:25:49,919 Speaker 1: to do a fundraiser Garry and I said, okay, what 453 00:25:50,119 --> 00:25:53,639 Speaker 1: you want to do. And he leaves probably three hundred 454 00:25:53,720 --> 00:25:58,560 Speaker 1: miles away, and he's actually used his public bus passes 455 00:25:58,720 --> 00:26:01,560 Speaker 1: old age busper. Oh, this is more. This is this guy, 456 00:26:01,720 --> 00:26:03,680 Speaker 1: Mrs Mountain right, this is where I'm staying this story 457 00:26:03,720 --> 00:26:05,240 Speaker 1: because this is I'm going to try and get be 458 00:26:05,240 --> 00:26:06,879 Speaker 1: honest and push this on my social media. So if 459 00:26:06,880 --> 00:26:09,119 Speaker 1: you're looking into my social media, I might even get 460 00:26:09,160 --> 00:26:11,560 Speaker 1: to interview this guy some because it's remarkable what he's 461 00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:15,280 Speaker 1: up to. Yeah, he needed help to advise the route, 462 00:26:16,080 --> 00:26:18,760 Speaker 1: because you know he's getting on a little bit. But 463 00:26:18,880 --> 00:26:22,760 Speaker 1: he actually went us to bus to bus to bus 464 00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:27,040 Speaker 1: to bus what would have took him four hours in 465 00:26:27,119 --> 00:26:33,760 Speaker 1: the car and took him forty house and he actually 466 00:26:33,840 --> 00:26:37,960 Speaker 1: went through storm Dennis. He took his dog to Whisper. 467 00:26:38,600 --> 00:26:40,840 Speaker 1: Whisper had a small day set at the top of 468 00:26:40,880 --> 00:26:42,480 Speaker 1: the show when I was telling you you need to 469 00:26:42,520 --> 00:26:44,879 Speaker 1: be packed in your car. Probably he has got a 470 00:26:44,960 --> 00:26:47,960 Speaker 1: lunch box and a bus pass and probably a mac. 471 00:26:50,680 --> 00:26:53,960 Speaker 1: The dog came into Gamp through the arch and had 472 00:26:54,000 --> 00:26:57,400 Speaker 1: a ruckstack on the expansion. He didn't have anything getting 473 00:26:57,440 --> 00:27:00,520 Speaker 1: it Bury bar a couple of small things. But and 474 00:27:01,320 --> 00:27:05,640 Speaker 1: that is what is about a community helping ourselves, veterans 475 00:27:05,800 --> 00:27:10,440 Speaker 1: helping veterans our own ranks, with our own experiences. And 476 00:27:10,920 --> 00:27:15,400 Speaker 1: I love to use lived experience. That man there. When 477 00:27:15,520 --> 00:27:18,119 Speaker 1: we first started with him nearly a year ago, it 478 00:27:18,280 --> 00:27:21,560 Speaker 1: was an absolute shell of a man that never left 479 00:27:21,680 --> 00:27:25,120 Speaker 1: his house barely and now look at the change in him. 480 00:27:25,520 --> 00:27:28,800 Speaker 1: Because all he wanted, like most of the veterans, was 481 00:27:28,880 --> 00:27:31,920 Speaker 1: to feel like he belonged. I mean that that is 482 00:27:31,960 --> 00:27:36,040 Speaker 1: a key thing, having some purpose, some belonging, especially when 483 00:27:36,040 --> 00:27:38,480 Speaker 1: you mix this stuff with mental health. And I'm gonna 484 00:27:38,520 --> 00:27:41,640 Speaker 1: I'm gonna bring up a point as well. Alcohol. Alcohol 485 00:27:41,720 --> 00:27:43,679 Speaker 1: does not help an in this situation, does it whatsoever? 486 00:27:43,760 --> 00:27:45,840 Speaker 1: Alcohol is an absolute demon and most of this stuff 487 00:27:45,840 --> 00:27:49,600 Speaker 1: isn't it. Yes, Sadly, when we get called out in 488 00:27:49,640 --> 00:27:52,600 Speaker 1: the middle of the night because there's a suicidal veteran 489 00:27:53,040 --> 00:27:57,840 Speaker 1: or self harm, usually alcohol or drugs is a big 490 00:27:57,960 --> 00:28:02,199 Speaker 1: accelerator for the moming themselves. And I know why they 491 00:28:02,320 --> 00:28:06,400 Speaker 1: do it because I understand because I did the same 492 00:28:06,480 --> 00:28:08,800 Speaker 1: as I have. You know, I can't cope with my 493 00:28:08,920 --> 00:28:11,080 Speaker 1: own head. So I'm going to get as pissed as 494 00:28:11,119 --> 00:28:14,360 Speaker 1: I can because he makes it go away, but tomorrow 495 00:28:14,720 --> 00:28:16,840 Speaker 1: it comes back twice as long only you've got less 496 00:28:16,880 --> 00:28:20,159 Speaker 1: money in your public example, so once which is another problem. 497 00:28:20,280 --> 00:28:22,600 Speaker 1: Do you deal with the problem twice had or do 498 00:28:22,680 --> 00:28:25,399 Speaker 1: you carry on drinking? And that's what the problem that 499 00:28:25,440 --> 00:28:28,600 Speaker 1: seems to be going on drink was promoted in the 500 00:28:28,760 --> 00:28:32,560 Speaker 1: army to distress to Poland. And we all understand. You know, 501 00:28:32,880 --> 00:28:35,200 Speaker 1: I don't think it's probably as bad now, but certainly 502 00:28:35,280 --> 00:28:37,680 Speaker 1: my day of your day, there was a beginning of course, 503 00:28:37,720 --> 00:28:39,400 Speaker 1: piss up and then of course pissed up, a piss 504 00:28:39,480 --> 00:28:41,719 Speaker 1: up because it's Tuesday, a piss up because somebody had 505 00:28:41,720 --> 00:28:43,880 Speaker 1: a piss up. Most of my career was a piss up. 506 00:28:45,840 --> 00:28:47,680 Speaker 1: I used to go on and I used to go 507 00:28:48,080 --> 00:28:51,240 Speaker 1: on a piss up and then get get a certificate 508 00:28:51,360 --> 00:28:53,920 Speaker 1: through the post. And now I'm qualified for something that 509 00:28:54,040 --> 00:28:57,880 Speaker 1: I didn't even realize. You know, No, you're right, No, 510 00:28:58,000 --> 00:29:00,360 Speaker 1: it was, it was, and that's not so bad now. Well, 511 00:29:00,560 --> 00:29:02,640 Speaker 1: you know, we gotta do with with with what's coming 512 00:29:02,680 --> 00:29:06,000 Speaker 1: through the door here very well. When you're in a 513 00:29:06,160 --> 00:29:10,520 Speaker 1: good headspace, you're confident, you're controlled, you're working your career, 514 00:29:10,920 --> 00:29:14,200 Speaker 1: you feel happy, you're going up the ranks, that's fine. 515 00:29:14,720 --> 00:29:18,680 Speaker 1: But when they come out and the isolation, the loneliness, 516 00:29:18,920 --> 00:29:23,600 Speaker 1: the lost, the mental health that the drink starts fighting, 517 00:29:24,280 --> 00:29:27,280 Speaker 1: that is when it becomes dangerous When he first did me, 518 00:29:27,440 --> 00:29:29,920 Speaker 1: I got out. I'm all right. I brought myself out, 519 00:29:30,000 --> 00:29:32,800 Speaker 1: you know, my own problems and whatever. I brought myself out. 520 00:29:33,280 --> 00:29:36,000 Speaker 1: And I remember the first month I was out, I 521 00:29:36,080 --> 00:29:38,160 Speaker 1: completely run out of money and have done coming in 522 00:29:38,600 --> 00:29:39,760 Speaker 1: and I had to go and take one of these 523 00:29:39,760 --> 00:29:41,680 Speaker 1: crisis loans out from the thing. Had no job to 524 00:29:41,720 --> 00:29:43,959 Speaker 1: go forward, you know, the only job that was lollipop man. 525 00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:45,600 Speaker 1: And you know the stories on the sky, you can 526 00:29:45,640 --> 00:29:48,960 Speaker 1: see it. And I just felt at that point, what 527 00:29:49,120 --> 00:29:50,880 Speaker 1: do I do? You know? I mean, I've been in 528 00:29:50,920 --> 00:29:53,800 Speaker 1: the Saber squadron. I was SF I was flying doing this, 529 00:29:53,920 --> 00:29:55,080 Speaker 1: doing that, doing the other. Do you know, I mean, 530 00:29:55,160 --> 00:29:56,960 Speaker 1: it was a great job. All of a sudden it 531 00:29:57,080 --> 00:30:00,200 Speaker 1: ended for me. There was nothing, absolutely nothing, and it 532 00:30:00,360 --> 00:30:03,760 Speaker 1: just you know, I can see it's almost like they 533 00:30:03,840 --> 00:30:07,400 Speaker 1: come out and try to mix within the civilian world 534 00:30:07,960 --> 00:30:12,440 Speaker 1: and they're either underrated and that their qualifications aren't taken 535 00:30:12,520 --> 00:30:15,960 Speaker 1: into account or the higher or the managers and the 536 00:30:16,040 --> 00:30:20,040 Speaker 1: higher people in these businesses fear them. So there's there's 537 00:30:20,080 --> 00:30:23,880 Speaker 1: almost you know, that's the problem with clashes. And I'm 538 00:30:23,880 --> 00:30:27,000 Speaker 1: not saying completely. You know, there's lots of veterans that 539 00:30:27,080 --> 00:30:31,000 Speaker 1: have gone into us, into society and became a civilian 540 00:30:31,080 --> 00:30:34,040 Speaker 1: again and have done very well for themselves. To no 541 00:30:34,160 --> 00:30:38,160 Speaker 1: one's saying that you join the forces, you're definitely leaving 542 00:30:38,240 --> 00:30:42,240 Speaker 1: an alcoholic, a cripple with medious day you know, and 543 00:30:42,480 --> 00:30:47,600 Speaker 1: not all do. But there's there's been something wrong for many, 544 00:30:47,680 --> 00:30:50,920 Speaker 1: many years, and only in the last couple of years 545 00:30:51,040 --> 00:30:54,200 Speaker 1: since I have been getting up on others and wearing 546 00:30:54,280 --> 00:30:57,680 Speaker 1: their hearts on their sleeves and being honest about their experiences. 547 00:30:57,880 --> 00:31:00,880 Speaker 1: Do you think that society as a whole nerd those 548 00:31:00,920 --> 00:31:03,840 Speaker 1: because everybody comes out about everything, that there's only this 549 00:31:04,400 --> 00:31:07,000 Speaker 1: inclusivity thing, which I'm all for, by the way, all right, 550 00:31:07,360 --> 00:31:10,160 Speaker 1: do you think it's made it easier for people to go, well, 551 00:31:10,200 --> 00:31:12,160 Speaker 1: there's a problem there. Do you think society has made 552 00:31:12,200 --> 00:31:14,280 Speaker 1: it slightly easier probably for us to stand up and 553 00:31:14,360 --> 00:31:17,080 Speaker 1: go I'm absolutely in turbo Bobbins there I need to 554 00:31:17,080 --> 00:31:19,960 Speaker 1: speak to somebody. Well, let's look at it. Boot my 555 00:31:20,080 --> 00:31:22,040 Speaker 1: day very to Boot when I was exactly and that 556 00:31:22,200 --> 00:31:25,520 Speaker 1: was my next point when I was coming out PTSD. 557 00:31:25,560 --> 00:31:28,960 Speaker 1: There's a dirty word mental health. As a dirty words, 558 00:31:29,320 --> 00:31:32,200 Speaker 1: they almost segregate you from everyone else in case your 559 00:31:32,280 --> 00:31:34,680 Speaker 1: mental health starts tractrified. Was never going to get a 560 00:31:34,760 --> 00:31:36,840 Speaker 1: job if I said I had problems upstairs. Well, I 561 00:31:36,960 --> 00:31:40,200 Speaker 1: know a very long serving colonel and he said it 562 00:31:40,280 --> 00:31:42,760 Speaker 1: to me as it is, and and it's important that 563 00:31:42,880 --> 00:31:46,720 Speaker 1: you know this. He said when he went through Sandhurst, 564 00:31:47,160 --> 00:31:51,080 Speaker 1: he was taught that mental health is a choice. So 565 00:31:51,600 --> 00:31:56,920 Speaker 1: if we've had generations of officers now taking over these units, 566 00:31:57,120 --> 00:32:00,720 Speaker 1: these the squadrons, these roots, if that is what they've 567 00:32:00,800 --> 00:32:04,880 Speaker 1: been taught, then no wonder there has been no understanding 568 00:32:05,000 --> 00:32:07,680 Speaker 1: of what's been going. Yeah, yeah, I mean it was 569 00:32:07,800 --> 00:32:11,520 Speaker 1: late probably nineties and they put a w RVs woman 570 00:32:11,560 --> 00:32:13,280 Speaker 1: into the Naple in Northern Ireland. But if you've got 571 00:32:13,360 --> 00:32:15,880 Speaker 1: seen in our office, it was like we're doing it 572 00:32:16,000 --> 00:32:19,080 Speaker 1: was proper, round of your money, what you're doing you're 573 00:32:19,120 --> 00:32:22,160 Speaker 1: not a man. Yeah, it's terrible. You know. I remember 574 00:32:22,240 --> 00:32:24,680 Speaker 1: yourself coming back from serle owing when I was in 575 00:32:24,760 --> 00:32:27,640 Speaker 1: the squadron and people almost going right, does anybody want 576 00:32:27,680 --> 00:32:29,240 Speaker 1: to go and see the doctor as anybody got a 577 00:32:29,280 --> 00:32:33,560 Speaker 1: problem with what they saw? Yeah, don't mean we all 578 00:32:33,640 --> 00:32:36,200 Speaker 1: know there's loads of slogans and phrases that were used 579 00:32:36,240 --> 00:32:40,040 Speaker 1: during service, you know, based to be a win, the 580 00:32:40,160 --> 00:32:44,080 Speaker 1: last one there goes again. One thing that I will 581 00:32:44,160 --> 00:32:47,080 Speaker 1: never say again to a man, and I think it's 582 00:32:47,160 --> 00:32:51,400 Speaker 1: done more damaged than the many things, is a phrase 583 00:32:51,720 --> 00:32:54,800 Speaker 1: man up. No, I think you're right. I think that 584 00:32:54,920 --> 00:32:59,120 Speaker 1: sums it up. Man up shuts him down from talking. 585 00:32:59,760 --> 00:33:04,880 Speaker 1: And that's the difference. Now the soldiers are getting supportive better. 586 00:33:05,320 --> 00:33:08,720 Speaker 1: They are given the opportunity to talk in public and 587 00:33:09,000 --> 00:33:12,720 Speaker 1: in private, and they're not being isolated and treated like 588 00:33:12,880 --> 00:33:15,680 Speaker 1: a leper in case he catches everyone else. What would 589 00:33:15,720 --> 00:33:17,120 Speaker 1: be We're coming at the end of this now, But 590 00:33:17,200 --> 00:33:19,680 Speaker 1: what would be your message to do anyone who's suffering now? 591 00:33:19,760 --> 00:33:21,640 Speaker 1: What would be your message? Because not everybody's going to 592 00:33:21,640 --> 00:33:23,360 Speaker 1: be able to get down here realistically, do you know 593 00:33:23,400 --> 00:33:24,800 Speaker 1: what I mean? So some people are gonna have to 594 00:33:25,280 --> 00:33:26,880 Speaker 1: you know, maybe here listen, think what can I do 595 00:33:27,040 --> 00:33:28,680 Speaker 1: right now? Might be an America, for instance, I don't 596 00:33:28,680 --> 00:33:30,680 Speaker 1: know if they have anything like forgone veterans in America. 597 00:33:31,120 --> 00:33:33,200 Speaker 1: Thank you for asking me this because this means a 598 00:33:33,280 --> 00:33:37,040 Speaker 1: lot to me. As I've stated, I've been for the male. 599 00:33:37,320 --> 00:33:39,600 Speaker 1: I've been in a very dark place and I'm lucky 600 00:33:39,680 --> 00:33:44,520 Speaker 1: to be alive. I have self medicated, I've drunk I've 601 00:33:44,560 --> 00:33:49,760 Speaker 1: abused myself, I've abused my family. I've a counseling, I've 602 00:33:49,840 --> 00:33:53,920 Speaker 1: a good counseling, bad counseling. And the one thing that 603 00:33:54,120 --> 00:34:00,560 Speaker 1: has saved me, truly saved me, is selfless commitment to others, 604 00:34:01,200 --> 00:34:05,680 Speaker 1: because you cannot be helping someone else with no gain 605 00:34:05,800 --> 00:34:10,080 Speaker 1: to yourself to teach you self respect and self worth again. 606 00:34:10,600 --> 00:34:13,760 Speaker 1: And this is all I'm trying to instill into others. 607 00:34:14,760 --> 00:34:18,520 Speaker 1: Start finding yourself again because you are in there. Yeah, 608 00:34:18,600 --> 00:34:21,400 Speaker 1: because you're instulent once you've got that, once you've got 609 00:34:21,480 --> 00:34:22,840 Speaker 1: to that stage that you're in the pit of it. 610 00:34:23,040 --> 00:34:24,919 Speaker 1: You are instulent because you're the only one there, aren't 611 00:34:24,920 --> 00:34:27,760 Speaker 1: you in your own mind? Yeah? I seen them regularly 612 00:34:27,840 --> 00:34:32,720 Speaker 1: feel I say, have you got anighbor that's hold by themselves? Yeah, Actually, 613 00:34:33,440 --> 00:34:35,799 Speaker 1: can't pop in for a cup of tea, can't get 614 00:34:35,880 --> 00:34:38,439 Speaker 1: them some shopping. Then when you come back to can 615 00:34:38,560 --> 00:34:41,560 Speaker 1: next you tell me how that made you feel, and 616 00:34:41,760 --> 00:34:44,080 Speaker 1: they come back and make you said, guys, it made 617 00:34:44,160 --> 00:34:47,600 Speaker 1: me feel great about myself. Yeah. No, I think you're right. 618 00:34:47,840 --> 00:34:49,520 Speaker 1: You know, you've got to be helping other people, and 619 00:34:50,000 --> 00:34:52,520 Speaker 1: you've got to be involved with other people. You can't 620 00:34:52,800 --> 00:34:54,960 Speaker 1: keep these things to yourself. It's all right flying Maverick 621 00:34:55,000 --> 00:34:57,719 Speaker 1: and again with various things. But this is not a 622 00:34:57,840 --> 00:35:01,600 Speaker 1: matter that can be sorted out on your Here we 623 00:35:01,760 --> 00:35:06,160 Speaker 1: work as one, we laugh as one. Rapport is so important. 624 00:35:06,680 --> 00:35:11,560 Speaker 1: Eighty percent of my work is building a rapport, using banter, 625 00:35:12,440 --> 00:35:16,720 Speaker 1: using lived experience, because once you have that eight percent, 626 00:35:16,920 --> 00:35:21,000 Speaker 1: the others when you percent comes much much easier. If 627 00:35:21,040 --> 00:35:24,120 Speaker 1: they don't trust you, they don't bondit you, they don't 628 00:35:24,160 --> 00:35:27,080 Speaker 1: respect you, they're not going to listen to you. Where 629 00:35:27,120 --> 00:35:28,799 Speaker 1: can people get older you if they want to, if 630 00:35:28,840 --> 00:35:32,279 Speaker 1: they if they want help, and how can they help you, 631 00:35:33,239 --> 00:35:34,960 Speaker 1: you know, if they want to donate or something like that. 632 00:35:35,200 --> 00:35:37,239 Speaker 1: Well you can look us up on Facebook. We've got 633 00:35:37,320 --> 00:35:39,960 Speaker 1: a lot of large presents on Facebook. There's a group 634 00:35:40,040 --> 00:35:44,400 Speaker 1: called Forgotten Veterans UK. There's also our page Forgotten Veterans UK. 635 00:35:44,640 --> 00:35:48,399 Speaker 1: We have a Twitter presence, we have a website. There's 636 00:35:48,400 --> 00:35:52,040 Speaker 1: an emergency number. If they go onto any of our 637 00:35:52,160 --> 00:35:54,839 Speaker 1: platforms and say I need help, one of my team 638 00:35:54,880 --> 00:35:58,480 Speaker 1: will pick them up immediately. And people that want to help, 639 00:35:59,000 --> 00:36:02,920 Speaker 1: it's quite simple. Donate that pound a month, arrange of 640 00:36:03,000 --> 00:36:07,160 Speaker 1: coffee meeting for fund raising, get in touch get into 641 00:36:07,280 --> 00:36:11,560 Speaker 1: your community. Get into your community and go and find 642 00:36:11,719 --> 00:36:15,600 Speaker 1: people and then bring them to us, and and and 643 00:36:16,000 --> 00:36:19,560 Speaker 1: we will help them. We won't abandoned them, but as 644 00:36:19,600 --> 00:36:22,359 Speaker 1: long as they're prepared to help themselves, we are there 645 00:36:22,560 --> 00:36:25,800 Speaker 1: for them. A hud Gary. Look, I've been hovering around. 646 00:36:25,840 --> 00:36:27,760 Speaker 1: I was here on the day that you first found 647 00:36:27,880 --> 00:36:30,480 Speaker 1: you first sort of opened this place. I've been on 648 00:36:30,560 --> 00:36:32,600 Speaker 1: the periphery of the organization. You know, we supported you 649 00:36:32,640 --> 00:36:35,000 Speaker 1: at the Rumble this year. I shall continue to support you. 650 00:36:35,640 --> 00:36:37,200 Speaker 1: So the first time we've actually sat down and had 651 00:36:37,239 --> 00:36:39,839 Speaker 1: a proper chat, I'll put nothing but respect. And I've 652 00:36:39,840 --> 00:36:42,320 Speaker 1: been humbled by the stuff you've said this afternoon. Okay, 653 00:36:42,680 --> 00:36:44,120 Speaker 1: I hope people out there are going to get a 654 00:36:44,160 --> 00:36:46,399 Speaker 1: message on this, alright, I know, I say. I think 655 00:36:46,719 --> 00:36:48,680 Speaker 1: the one key thing for me I have all of 656 00:36:48,719 --> 00:36:54,480 Speaker 1: this is if you're suffering, say something, Please, say something. Please, 657 00:36:54,560 --> 00:36:57,319 Speaker 1: They's open up and say something to somebody, and then 658 00:36:57,480 --> 00:36:59,919 Speaker 1: you know people are Gary and coming up with Gary. 659 00:37:00,120 --> 00:37:01,719 Speaker 1: Thanks for your time. I'm going to wrap up and 660 00:37:01,840 --> 00:37:04,200 Speaker 1: just close the show as I normally do. Thank you. 661 00:37:04,440 --> 00:37:09,200 Speaker 1: Thanks for your time, seriously, I mean selfless commitment to others. Absolutely, 662 00:37:09,320 --> 00:37:11,719 Speaker 1: Thank you guy. You eard it their selfless commitment to others, 663 00:37:11,760 --> 00:37:13,600 Speaker 1: and that is the way. I think. That was a 664 00:37:13,719 --> 00:37:15,880 Speaker 1: very heart felt and honest interview given to me by 665 00:37:15,960 --> 00:37:18,560 Speaker 1: Gary there. I hope you enjoyed checking out the other 666 00:37:18,600 --> 00:37:20,640 Speaker 1: stuff that solf rep, but do another look on softwp 667 00:37:20,680 --> 00:37:23,000 Speaker 1: dot com, have at the Create club dot com, and 668 00:37:23,200 --> 00:37:25,839 Speaker 1: please come back next time. I'm on Until next time, 669 00:37:26,080 --> 00:37:30,719 Speaker 1: Who Dares Wins and obviously all later on. You've been 670 00:37:30,800 --> 00:37:35,360 Speaker 1: listening to self rep Radio. New episodes up every Wednesday 671 00:37:35,400 --> 00:37:39,560 Speaker 1: and Friday. Follow the show on Instagram and Twitter at 672 00:37:39,680 --> 00:37:40,720 Speaker 1: self rep Radio.