Former Royal Engineer who slept in car parks backs call to help homeless veterans

He was addicted to heroin for more than a decade and became homeless after being declared bankrupt and having his house repossessed in 2012.

Having turned his life around following rehabilitation in 2020, Mr Smith is now a full-time volunteer with Green Pastures, is studying for a theology degree at their on-site university and is due to get married next year.

Ahead of Armistice Day, Christian homelessness organisation Green Pastures is urging the Government to make veterans a priority in its efforts to tackle homelessness.

“I know plenty of veterans who have found themselves in the same sort of situation as me,” said Mr Smith.

“You leave the Forces and suddenly the structure and support you were used to have gone. Some people struggle with drink or drugs, some end up homeless and others end up in prison. I know from the people I have met that I am far from the only one.

“If you’ve served your country, been willing to risk your life then that shouldn’t be forgotten – and not just on Remembrance Day. I welcome Andy Burnham’s comments and ideas but more needs to be done.”

Having turned his life around following rehabilitation in 2020, Mr Smith is now a full-time volunteer with Green Pastures, is studying for a theology degree at their on-site university and is due to get married next year.

Green Pastures – which houses more than 1,500 people – says its “ethical investing” model could help public money go further by bringing private funding into buying property.

The Southport-based charity has received a staggering £50million from almost 2,000 investors.

Matty Hawthorne, Chief Impact Officer, said they had helped several former military personnel over the years. He challenged the Government not to neglect them.

He said: “Ministers should also be asking how they can bring more private money into providing homes. We have £50 million invested by people who want their money to do some good while earning a return.

“The Government should be looking at how approaches like this could be expanded and actually engage with social investment organisations. This will remove barriers to scaling their models and show how public funding can work alongside private capital.”

Green Pastures’ investors lend money for an agreed period, helping fund property purchases alongside bank borrowing. They achieve a social benefit alongside a financial return.

You can visit www.greenpastures.co.uk for more information.

The support for their work comes as official figures showed 2,180 veteran households experience homelessness or are at risk of homelessness in England annually, with national leaders urging local councils to ensure no veteran sleeps rough.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham will personally write to councils across England on Armistice Day tomorrow, urging them to draw up specific plans to offer accommodation to military veterans sleeping rough ahead of the Christmas period.

National and local government should work together on the principle those who served in the military should not be left to sleep on the streets, the Labour leader’s letter will say.

The pledge, announced ahead of Remembrance Sunday, is part of the Prime Minister’s wider plan to offer everyone currently sleeping rough a bed this winter.

Mr Burnham said: “No one who has served our country should be left to sleep rough on our streets.

“It is a simple principle and, from now on, I am setting it as an operating principle for the whole of Government, national and local.

“People who stepped forward prepared to put their lives on the line for the rest of us should never lack a roof over their head. When they need help, the country owes them more than warm words. It owes them a bed every night, a proper plan and someone in their corner from day one.”

The Prime Minister added: “Many councils are already doing a great job working with charities supporting the ex-forces community.

“With this new funding, they can take that to the next level and end the need for any veteran to sleep rough on any night.

“This is what I meant when I spoke about putting the right standards back at the heart of the country when I walked up Downing Street for the first time.”

Mr Burnham promised to offer everyone sleeping rough a route off the streets by the end of this year in one of his first moves as Prime Minister.

He has announced an additional £874million of funding to help tackle rough sleeping since coming to office.

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