Member Article

Housebuilders salute inspiring veterans

Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes paid homage to some of the country’s most inspiring veterans last week as part of their commitment to supporting the UK’s serving and former armed forces personnel.

The local housebuilders were official sponsors of the English Veterans Awards and took time out from building new homes across the south west to meet veterans at the event.

Among those they took the time to applaud was Dave Beresford, who won the David Wilson Homes Lifetime Achievement Award. Dave spent 14 years in the Armed Forces and is now working with Weston College using the skills and methods he learned from his military career to help and guide the students through their academic qualifications.

“Dave is a real inspiration and we’re thrilled to see he’s supporting young people at the start of their careers,” said David Wilson Homes construction director Gareth Neale, who is ex-forces himself. “As a company we’re incredibly grateful to each and every member of the Armed Forces and veterans who often have to undertake work in unimaginably hostile war zones.

“In addition to helping serving personnel and those who have recently left the service onto the housing ladder throughout the country, we operate dedicated training schemes within the company to harness their incredible skills and experience and provide great careers in the construction industry.”

Barratt Homes sponsored the Contribution to English Sport award, which was won by Terry Brazier, who served with the Irish Guards joining in 2008 before transferring to the Fantastic Guards Parachute Platoon attached to the 3rd battalion parachute regiment. Shortly after his tour of Afghanistan Op Herric 13 he started training in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). He made his professional debut late 2015 and has since won several world titles on the biggest shows in Europe and is now fighting on one of the biggest shows in the world “Bellator”.

Barratt Homes also presented the Overall Veterans Champion Award on the evening, which went to Ken Hames MBE.

Tony Palmer from Barratt Homes added: “It was such an inspirational evening hearing about the achievements of these incredible people. We’re very proud to support this event. Our career transition programme for ex forces personnel is very important to us. It’s been a great scheme and ex-military people make great employees in the construction industry. They have great discipline, which is an important attribute for a site manager.”

Both Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes work with members of the armed forces and veterans in a number of ways, from providing schemes to help them onto the housing ladder through to dedicated training schemes for ex-armed forces personnel, and charitable donations.

Among those to benefit from David Wilson Homes’ ex forces training scheme is Tyrone Bowers, who served in the Army with the Royal Engineers for 24 and a half years. Tyrone, 42, said: “I had that construction background with the Army and a friend knew about the David Wilson Homes training scheme and suggested I go for it. It’s been really good so far and you spend a lot of time on site. I’m due to complete in November, when I’ll become an assistant site manager.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Barratt Homes .