Only connect: Heroes’ cottage creates crucial connections
THE OWNER of a holiday home let out for free to veterans, told the Courier of the lasting bonds formed there.
Philip Heard, 84, a former Grenadier Guardsman, said: ‘Today people look at war differently. They ask: why is it worthwhile? Why do we do this?’
‘Before, we just did it. We knew were fighting for Queen and country and that was it.’
He still finds it easy to connect with the house’s visitors and their experiences;
Company
He added: ‘As well as them getting time to relax, it’s company for me. I don’t have much family, most of them are in Australia, Canada or the USA.’
Mr Heard has connected with many of his visitors, and he has witnessed them form new connections too. Mr Heard told the
Courier of one visitor who made a breakthrough with his children.
‘I had one young couple stay with me who had two young sons.
‘His wife told me that her husband, an ex-serviceman, didn’t really associate with the kids after he came out of the army.
‘There’s a collie dog around the house and one of their sons was making a fuss of it.
‘I suggested they take a photo of the boy with the dog, and the father went up to them with a camera.
‘The next day, after four years of not associating properly with his children, he took them down to the beach.’
But the scars of Mr Heard’s visitors are not just mental, they are often physical.
‘There was a young fella, 24, who drove up from London in a specially adjusted car,’ explained Mr Heard. ‘He said he joined the army because his parents were always falling out.
‘He only had six inches of his left leg and had lost the other just above the knee.’
To accommodate injured servicemen, Mr Heard has ensured that wheelchairs are able to access the property.
Outdoors, there is a flat patio for garden access and the village of Glenbarr is accessible via pavement.
The ground floor is entirely level and a bathroom, sitting room, kitchen/diner and bedroom are located on the ground floor.
However, there are two bedrooms upstairs.
He said: ‘If I can get a stairlift fitted, it’ll make a big difference to the visitors.’
Alison Richmond of Help for Heroes said: ‘We are so grateful to Mr Heard for his generosity in donating his lovely holiday home so our wounded, injured and sick veterans and their families can enjoy a holiday in such peaceful and scenic surroundings.’
The house is available to servicemen and women from all British regiments.
Help for Heroes is keen to promote its accommodation to veterans from all over the country.