Paul Haigh works at leading Armed Forces charity, Walking With The Wounded, as a Veteran Support Liaison Officer.

 

Paul’s journey began as a six-year Royal Air Force veteran who initially appeared to be thriving after his discharge from the Services. With a wife, a four-bedroom house, and a supervisory position managing a warehouse and staff, his life outwardly seemed good and reasonably comfortable. Inwardly, however, a mild to moderate mental health issue combined with a growing dependency on alcohol meant things were deteriorating, inevitably leading to an external collapse. From the age of 28 onwards, his life became a series of hospitalizations, resulting in a long period of sleeping rough, having lost his relationship, house, and job.

 

Long-term street homelessness took Paul to places he never imagined he would experience, adding new levels of trauma from dealing with the daily threat of violence and discrimination. The story of how Paul’s life changed at this point is one he loves to share, highlighting a series of acts of loving kindness that turned his life around and offered a way out of the darkness.

 

The final part of Paul’s story is that when he came off the streets in 1992, there were few services available to provide support for mental health and practical welfare issues. This is why he has such a passion for Walking With The Wounded, a charity that supports those who served and their families.