I grew up in the small Scottish city of Inverness. At 19 a friend asked ‘do you want to be stuck in Inverness, doing the same thing day in, day out or do you want to see the world?’ I realised they were right, I didn’t want to get stuck, and consequently signed up to the army. I spent time in Northern Ireland, Iraq, Belize, and Germany, working as an army mechanic which sometimes meant being part of the bomb disposal team. I know it sounds odd but I loved the rush of it! After many years in service, I realised I wanted more freedom than the army allowed and left.
After leaving, I ran a small business selling ornamental boxes at different London markets. It proved a popular idea and others began manufacturing the same product abroad and selling them for less. In the end, I went out of business. I became depressed, started drinking heavily, and with nowhere else to go ended up living in an attic with no windows or access to basic facilities.
Thankfully, a veteran’s charity agreed to fund a rehab placement for me. I’m currently still living in supported housing having been free from alcohol for over a year now. Veteran’s Aid will help me move into my own place but I don’t want to do this until I’m in work - otherwise I’d worry about being able to pay the rent or getting bored.
Boiler repair is something I’ve fancied doing for years. I know from previous roles I’m good at problem solving and working with my hands. Military charities will fund some of the qualification costs needed but I need your help in taking the first step to get there.
This is Terry's second Beam campaign. His first campaign launched in December 2017 and raised £5,490 from 353 supporters.