SVR | jo3m

Jo's journey to and with SVR

Glasgow's HELPING HEROS: Jo had never viewed himself as a ‘Veteran’ and felt like a fraud. He felt u

“I have many close friends and family who have done tours in pretty hostile environments, who have experienced and witnessed some pretty horrific shit. For me a Veteran is someone who has been in theatre. I’m so grateful that’s never been me. I started my military journey in the 80’s with the reserves and pretty much for most of the time have hand-picked and chose to do all the cool and sexy stuff. I’ve never fired a round in anger and never been shot at. And hopefully never will. A hero for me are some of the amazing men and women who currently work in high consequence environments but not necessarily in war in civvy street like our blue light brigade in A&E who work ridiculous hours for shit pay. That’s also not me.”

Scottish Veterans Residences

Jo's journey to SVR Easter 2023

Jo was spending time with some of his family in the Midlands. He wasn’t on holiday. His marriage was falling apart, and he needed some respite from the noise. As he spent most evenings alone in his aunt’s spare room, he started educating himself on an Ai Platform called Night-café. He had attempted drawing and painting a couple of times but had no idea what he was doing. Night-café seemed to be cutting his learning curve. Summer 2023 Joseph moved back to Glasgow to try one last time with his wife (Kirsty Morrison-Meade) to mend their marriage. In July they both decided it wasn’t going to work and Joseph found himself homeless. A good friend of Jo’s who is still serving recommended he contact SSAFA.

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Glasgow's HELPING HEROES and the ACVC HUB

That same day one of the peer support workers at Helping Heroes in Glasgow suggested that Jo went to Allen Clarke’s Veterans Hub. Although Allen and Jo immediately recognised, they shared a lot of the same values and aims it would be around six months before they would start to work together.

Whitefoord House

Alan McEwan the DWP Veteran’s Champion gave Jo the number and the first person he spoke to was Kirsty Smeaton-Brown the Housing Manager at Whitefoord House. She asked jo a couple of routine questions but within a few minutes told Jo that he was one of the reasons that SVR exists. Jo was in tears and still feels teary eyed when he thinks of that moment. After two months of sofa surfing, spending the odd night in the spare room of the marital home but mainly spending time at David Lloyds West End and his car, the Scottish Veterans Services (SVR) offered Jo accommodation in Edinburgh.

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