Falklands veteran’s 65th birthday sleepout on Northamptonshire village bench to raise funds for homeless colleagues
A Falklands War veteran will spend his 65th birthday sleeping on a village bench to raise awareness, and funds, for ex-Armed Forces members.
Brian Mallon’s adopted home of Cranford couldn’t be further from the horrors he witnessed during the 1982 conflict in the South Atlantic.
The proud Scotsman signed up to serve Queen and country as part of the RAF, and was deployed at the age of 21 to maintain aircraft used in the fighting.
Brian will take part in the Great Tommy Sleep Out to support homeless veterans after the help he received after a breakdown in 2020 with military PTSD.
He said: “The Royal British Legion have been helpful to me through my mental health and I want to put something back.
“This is my second time sleeping out. The first was the dampest of nights you could imagine. I was absolutely soaked.”
Brian will kip down on the metal Remembrance bench in front of Cranford Village Hall tonight (Saturday, March 7) and wake up on his birthday tomorrow (Sunday).
He said: “It doesn’t matter if it’s my birthday. Every night, thousands of veterans right here in the UK are facing the harsh reality of sleeping rough. They can’t pick and choose.”
Brian, who served for nine years, is keen to raise as much money as possible for the RBVE (Royal British Veterans Enterprise), an arm of the Royal British Legion.
He has set a target of £1,500 and has already raised more than £800, money that will used to help provide safe homes, mental health support and employment opportunities for veterans.
Speaking of his own experience of war, Brian said: “It was grim. There were lads there who were just 18 or 19 years old. Even at 21, you are still a boy.
“We were told not to talk about it – the things we saw. I bottled it up until 2020 and it all burst out. I suffer quite badly with PTSD but I got help."
Swapping the comfort of his bed for a night under the stars, Brian will use carboard for a makeshift mattress and snuggle down in a sleeping bag.
The weather forecast says temperatures could be as low as 4°C, but Brian doesn’t mind.
He said: “It’s one night. I might have a beer and who knows, someone might bring some cake. During my military training, I slept in the snow in Norway – but I was younger.”
To support Brian, go to his fundraising page by clicking here.
Royal British Veterans Enterprise is a UK-based charity and social enterprise, formerly known as Royal British Legion Industries, that focuses on providing accommodation, employment, and support services to veterans, their families, and people with disabilities.