Helping Gordon* on his path to a positive life after the Armed Forces.
We proudly provide tailored support to members of the armed forces community. Together with local agencies, we’ve recently supported Army veteran Gordon* in to one of our supported housing properties.
When Gordon* was arrested he had no idea answering one question would lead to the opportunity to open up a support network and a new home.
Gordon was reluctant to share his military background when he found himself in police custody, however when he mentioned that he had served with 1st Battalion The Kings Regiment in Manchester, it meant he was a candidate for Greater Manchester Police’s Project Nova which supports vulnerable veterans.
A volunteer visited Gordon in his cell and spoke about the support available to him. Gordon opened up about having nowhere to stay and no belongings following the end of an abusive relationship. The volunteer left Gordon with contact details and encouraged him to make contact for support.
“I didn’t want to embarrass myself, I didn’t want to have to ask for help and I didn’t want to need the help.”
However, after going over the conversation Gordon bravely made the decision to make the call to find out more about the support available to him.
“I had nothing, I had been in an abusive relationship, physically, mentally and financially, and ending the relationship left me with nothing and nowhere to go, I would have been sleeping rough right now had I not been asked in custody if I was a veteran and if that volunteer hadn’t come and spoken to me’.
The Supported Housing Team at ForHousing, one of a number of organisations who made contact with Gordon, worked alongside Rebecca Holden, Supported Tenancies Officer (Armed Forces Lead) at Salford City Council to find a property for Gordon that met his needs.
“Being offered a property was amazing, I was getting somewhere secure to live that is mine. I even laughed doing the sign up with Liam, I can’t wait to move in’”.
With help from Salford Assist, Salford City Council, The Royal British Legion and The forces charity shop Gordon is now able to make the property a home and live independently with the knowledge that help and support is one pull chord away. The LGBT foundation have also offered Gordon advice and are supporting him to move on.
We’re so glad that Gordon now has a safe and secure place to call home and we wish him all the best on his journey to a better life.
*Note: The identity of the person in this story has been changed.