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Dorset Echo - Friday 21st January 2011
"Alabare provides support to troubled soldiers Home For Veterans Is A Real Tour De Force
A NEW house has opened its doors to Dorset’s homeless and vulnerable ex-servicemen and women.
The house in Coombe Avenue, Weymouth is run by Alabare Christian Care and Support and funded by the Royal British Legion.
The home is the first of two that will be opened in Weymouth to provide care and support for servicemen and women. The second will be opening in February.
Support worker Emma Williams-Mandiville said: “We aim to provide support services like helping people to get back into education, or helping them with housing and form filling.
“But we also work with other groups to provide help and support for problems like alcohol, drugs and mental health issues.”
She added: “Veterans are normal people and they go through problems just like we all will do.
“But as soldiers they have been into horrific war zones and sometimes you think how can they get through it and not have a mental health issue.”
Alabare House takes men and women who have been in the forces and have had problems adjusting to civilian life.
Dave Parker, 28, is living at the new house.
He joined the King’s Royal Hussars when he was 16 and stayed in for four years working as a tank driver and gunner.
He said: “I really enjoyed the forces and I would still be in there now if I could.
“I was caught smoking cannabis and discharged.
“I tried to find a job and did lots of rubbish jobs like labouring and factory work but it was really boring.”
Mr Parker said that he used to drink heavily at weekends, a habit he picked up in the Army and fell in with the wrong friends.
He was in and out of trouble for fighting when drunk and eventually was sentenced to 11 months in prison.
He said: “I didn’t drink every day and I never got into trouble sober.
“When I was in prison I was approached by VIPA, the Veterans in Prison Association.
“They put me in touch with Alabare and they said I could move in on my release date.”
He added: “Moving into the house has been great. I was expecting a hostel but it’s really nice and the staff are really helpful.
“This time next year I hope to be on a course and have a job and my own house.”
Mr Parker said it can be very difficult to adjust to civilian life.
He said: “In the forces everything is done for you. You get paid and you have millionaire’s week where everyone spends all their wages then you could just go and eat food in the canteen for the next three weeks.
“I didn’t have to pay a bill till I was 21.”
Alabare are looking for volunteers to work with the veterans. For more information or to refer a veteran to the centre visit www.alabare.co.uk " |
