JAMES SERVES A MEAL THAT’S FIT FOR HEROES
James launches veterans breakfast club
It’s a club that’s run by veterans for veterans James Caldwell
An army veteran is tucking in to help others like him by opening up a breakfast club.
James Caldwell, from Paisley, served in the Royal Engineers for 16 years and knows what it is like to hit Civvy Street after years of working to orders and a strict regime.
And it is well documented that things can be tough when exservicemen and women try to adjust to everyday life.
So that’s why James is inviting veterans to dig into a hearty breakfast and enjoy chat and support from like-minded people.
The 57- year- old said: “I left school at 17 and joined the forces, – the Royal Engineers – and left in 1993.
“I then went into the haulage industry, driving trucks.
“I’ve been thinking about doing the breakfast club for a while now and it’s been in the planning for three or four months.
“There’s not actually one on this area – the nearest ones are in Cumnock, Irvine, and Airdrie.
“This one will be at the Last Post in County Square.
“It’s to give veterans a place to come where they can relax and basically become part of the tribe again.
“When people join the forces they’re trained to become a soldier – or a sailor or whatever – but they don’t seem to be trained to become a civilian when they leave.
“While you’re in the Army you seem to have all this support round about you, but once you leave through that green door there’s an awful feeling that you’re so isolated because you’re that used to a system and getting everything done and thought for you,”
Often ex-forces men and women can succumb to depression and addiction when faced with life after serving their country, James added.
“I read last week that exservicemen roundabout the age of 30 are starting to self-harm, and there’s an increase in self-harm,” he said.
“But the breakfast club can help because it brings them back into the fold, back into what they are used to in a military community, with people who are like-minded.
“It’s done in such an atmosphere that they’re not forced to join a club, or pay a membership.
“But running in tandem with that I’m going to try to link into other forces welfare services, like the Royal British Legion.”
And James promises veterans can be assured of a friendly welcome when they turn up at the club.
“It’s somewhere where they’re not pressurised,” he said.
“It’s a club that’s run by veterans for veterans.”
The first breakfast club will be held at the Last Post in County Square on Sunday, October 7, from 9am to 10.30am, and will initially take place once a month after that.
Veterans simply need to turn up and they will only need to pay for their breakfast.
Special thanks to our good friends at Castelvecchi in New Street for giving James a lovely breakfast to tuck in to.