This is Paul Mountford and he is one of many veterans who have found a safe place to stay and the support to move forward at a charity awarded a £22,000 grant from the Veterans’ Foundation®.
Paul has been supported by the Macari Foundation in Stoke-on-Trent since January, 2026.
Alongside accommodation, he has found people willing to listen as he works towards having a home of his own.
“They've been phenomenally kind and phenomenally helpful,” he said. “They're there to listen, not to judge and that's what's good about it.”
Stoke-on-Trent City Council has told Paul he can have a place of his own, which he will move into when one becomes available.
The Macari Foundation was founded in 2016 by former Stoke City manager Lou Macari.
Its centre has 15 self-contained flats, while a further six rooms have been set aside exclusively for veterans experiencing homelessness.
The £22,000 Veterans’ Foundation® grant will help the charity deliver and develop support tailored to veterans over the next 12 months.
Residents can access rehabilitation, education and wellbeing programmes designed to help them build the skills and confidence to live independently and seek employment.
Paul Macari, the charity’s operations manager, said: “We are delighted to receive the grant from the Veterans’ Foundation which is significant recognition and will provide vital funding to deliver and further develop specifically-tailored support to homeless military veterans over the next 12 months.
“The unit is the first in Stoke-on-Trent exclusively for veterans and is much-needed with demand for places far outstripping supply.
"Unfortunately, at the moment there is always a waiting list.”
The charity’s support continues after veterans leave its accommodation.
Martin Palmer, the centre’s veteran liaison lead, said the grant would allow staff to spend time with former residents as they adjust to living independently.
“It also allows us the time to go out and do sort of aftercare once they've finished living with us and they've moved on to their own accommodation,” he said.
“Just to try and help them in their transition back into sort of a normal way of life.”
Jane Gurney, CEO of the Veterans’ Foundation®, said: “This funding will help to give veterans who have experienced homelessness a safe and secure environment to begin to rebuild their lives.
“By combining accommodation with tailored rehabilitation, education and wellbeing support, the Macari Foundation is helping veterans develop the confidence, skills and stability needed to move towards independent living and employment.
"We are delighted to support this important work and to help veterans make a positive transition back into civilian life.”
