Ally's Story

Ally was born and raised in North London and after school he went on to college to study for a degree. He got married and had 2 children and worked hard to support his family. As a young man with ambitions, he set up his own close protection company. It was whilst at work that he suffered a significant injury that left him feeling bereft, as if he had lost a part of himself. Ally wanted and needed a new role in life, one that offered support and reliability. He chose the Army.

In 2009, Ally joined the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) and served in the Reserves whilst continuing to maintain his business commitments. He later transferred to 7th Battalion The Rifles and in 2013 he was deployed on active duty to Afghanistan as part of Op Herrick. It was a precarious moment in the war, and a few months into his tour, Ally’s duties changed radically - from active conflict into a peacekeeping role. The situation on the ground was unpredictable. Although he safely completed countless patrols, Ally did not come away unscathed. One day he witnessed the full force of a large explosive device when it detonated just outside the gates of his camp. It resulted in casualties and loss of life and for many years after, Ally suffered from Survivor’s Guilt and was left angry and traumatised. Even when he returned home to England, there was no respite, and he was immediately thrown into a new fight – the fight to keep his children. It became an all-encompassing battle. He went to court several times and spent all his savings on lawyers until there was no money left. He lost his business and became homeless. For 2 years he and the children relied on the generosity of his close friends for accommodation. Ally then represented himself in court and ultimately, he won the day and the right to keep his children. They have now been living with him for 10 years.

Ally later became a caseworker for SSAFA, advocating for veterans and their families. Having helped others for so long, it was now time for Ally to get his own help and support. He had been carrying his emotional distress for many years and at times it had led him to some very dark places. He approached NHS Op COURAGE (the NHS veterans mental welfare support team) who helped him address these longstanding issues. He was then referred to Jonathan, an Employment Advisor at Walking With The Wounded to get advice and support to begin the next steps in his career.

Initially, Jonathon managed to secure Ally several job interviews working in close protection, and he also recommended Insight Days and recruitment events for him to attend. More recently, Jonathan has sourced the £1400 Ally needed to complete a PRINCE2 Training Course in Project Management and then secured CIC funding for £390 to register Ally’s new company Matglen Veterans, as a limited company.