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Peter Stone

A Barnados boy, Peter grew up in several homes in the Somerset area. He joined up in 1968 at the age of sixteen and spent 24 years in the Army. He joined the Ordinance Corps and did several tours of duty in the Middle East, Far East, Ireland,Germany and Hong Kong, and saw active service in the Gulf War in 1991. Married with three children, he loved the camaraderie of the Army and felt it gave his family a wonderful opportunity to travel and see the world.

On leaving the Army in 1992, Peter found it very difficult to acclimatise to civilian life, as did his family. 'Suddenly the whole structure that I had known since I was sixteen was no longer there.' Within 18 months his marriage broke down.

Peter continued working for the Army, assessing the victims of PTSD and other trauma related incidents. 'I enjoyed the job and people trusted me. Most people in the Army will not talk to psychologists or civilian doctors. They find it very difficult to open up.'

Then tragedy struck, when three weeks before his 21st birthday his son was killed in a car accident. 'The problem was that I never actually grieved myself; I failed to accept the bereavement.' It took two years for those feelings to finally surface causing Peter to have a nervous breakdown. 'I felt very alone. I had lost my friends from the Army days and now my son. Before I knew it I was sleeping in my car and just drifting around.

'I ended up in a hostel and met people from all walks of life who had ended up on the streets. I realised that there was better than this.

'But before you can find yourself you must have a base and the Sir Oswald Stoll Foundation gives you that. Everyone in the office is great and really willing to help you. At the same time they give you back your independence and let you get on with your life, whilst you know if you have any problems, from paying bills to health issues they are on hand to help you. There is a real community here in a lovely part of London.'