'No-one who served their country should be homeless'

Veterans living in Kent are supporting a major campaign to raise awareness of former servicepeople who are homeless.

The Great Tommy Sleep Out runs throughout March and is organised by the Royal British Veterans Enterprise (RBVE).

Individuals and groups can take part in the fundraising challenge to sleep outdoors for one night or more.

Matt Moses, who served in the US army, said: "No-one who served for their country should ever be homeless".

The 52-year-old said he had found readjusting to civilian life difficult and "had struggled to find a purpose".

"Veterans face homelessness often because of the weight of service, and some traumatic experiences can be soul-crushing," he said.

Moses, who works at the RBVE factory in Aylesford, explained some veterans lost "a sense of structure, purpose, and themselves", and struggled to communicate their challenges to other people.

"This leads to destructive behaviours and hopeless thought patterns," he said.

Steve, who also works at the RBVE factory, served in the Royal Logistic Corps.

He left the army because he wanted to look after his daughter, who was born just as he joined the service.

"Those four years were tough, and being apart took its toll on all of us," he said.

"After I left the army, I wasn't in a good headspace, it felt like everything was going wrong and I couldn't fix any of it."

Both Moses and Steve have taken part in the Great Tommy Sleep Out hoping to raise awareness of the "harsh realities" many veterans face when they leave the army.

Lisa Farmer, chief executive of RBVE, said the organisation had helped hundreds of veterans.

"We have found veterans sleeping in cars, woodlands and couch surfing," she said.

"Some are homeless because of situations including relationship breakdowns and PTSD.

"Some veterans don't seek help at first because of pride, they were trained to solve difficult situations."

Farmer said the money raised through the Great Tommy Sleep Out would support RBVE services.

"We offer emergency accommodation, housing support, jobs at our factory and help veterans reconnect with the community," she added.

Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.