Conner McDougall

I joined the Royal Navy in 2013, serving the first two years as a submariner before being attached to the Royal Marines as a storeman. In 2018 I left the Armed Forces returning to my hometown Leven.

Upon leaving the military I found employment in local timber year before becoming a security guard. Whilst in the military I gained my HGV licence but was never able to get a HGV driving job due to not having a CPC card.

I completed 35 hours of Driver CPC Periodic training only to find out I’d wasted money.

It was only when I got in touch with Veterans into Logistics I found out because I am ex-military, I needed to pass Module 2 & 4 (Initial CPC) to qualify for a CPC card. Veterans into Logistics booked my Mod 2 & 4 tests and provided the training enabling me to pass first time.

I’d like to thank the Veterans into Logistics team for their support. I now look forward to a new career as a HGV driver!

Conor Lennon

After having served 5 years in the army and it being all I have ever knew employment-wise. The transition to civilian life was always going to be slightly daunting.

During my leaving process, I contacted Darren from Veterans into Logistics who proceeded immediately to put my mind at rest and reassured me that with my licences securing employment wouldn’t be an issue.

I cannot thank the team enough for all that they have done. The team are clearly passionate about what they do and truly have the best interests of veterans at heart. They truly have gone above and beyond in assisting me in obtaining my CPC with step-by-step guidance and advice on how to achieve this.

Thanks to Veterans into Logistics, I am now fully qualified to driver commercially and have the comfort of guaranteed employment.

I would highly recommend Veterans into Logistics to any Service person currently looking at transitioning into civilian life.

Craig Dyer

I’m an ex-Royal Artillery soldier that was medically discharged after a serious motorcycle accident back in 2009 which left me with a disability affecting my arm.

This affected my driving licence restricting me to automatic only and requiring adaptions to vehicles to drive them legally. I’ve had numerous jobs since but none I enjoyed as much as driving. I approached many haulage firms but was knocked back on many occasions despite there being a national shortage of Class 1 drivers.

I’ve held my Class 1 licence since 1996 with many years of experience through the armed forces and agency driving in time off. Most recently I was knocked back by one of the largest haulage firms in the country and I was told it was because my Drivers CPC card was out of date.

I took to social media to have a whinge on a forces page where Darren Wright from Veterans into Logistics contacted me. We had a good chat and he offered to put me through my Driver CPC Periodic training straight away. I took a week off work and completed the training, so I was current again. But Darren’s help didn’t stop there.

I applied for a few jobs and got interviews through Darren’s connections in some haulage firms. I was very apprehensive after being knocked back before, especially with my disability. Darren encouraged me and gave some great advice to help in the interviews.

I have now secured an HGV Class 1 driving position with a leading firm after a successful interview and driving assessment. I cannot thank Darren and Veterans into Logistics enough not only for putting me through my Driver CPC training but their support and encouragement in finding driver employment.

A truly fantastic charity, keep up the good work!

Gary Caldwell

I left the Army in August 2010 after serving 23 years in the Infantry. When I left, I jumped straight into the security industry firstly overseas then back in the UK, where I progressed into Management, over the years the industry has changed, and I felt I needed a change for my personal mental health and a less stressful environment.

I heard about Veterans into Logistics so arranged to meet Darren over a coffee to discuss, I had my Class 1 licence just needed to complete my CPC course to become qualified again. The biggest concern I had was a lack of commercial experience and confidence about getting behind the wheel with no experience and often overlooked due to this.

Veterans into Logistics, put all my concerns to the side, Darren provided me much needed advice and took me out driving in their HGV truck to raise my confidence, he also arranged driving assessment and opportunities at local haulage companies that fully understood provided my position and willing to help.

Today I’m driving for Eddie Stobart and after three weeks I couldn’t be more grateful for the support Veterans into Logistics have provided me, Darren who is still in contact providing support and options for the future. I intend to support Veterans into Logistics in the future and would say to any veterans give them a call if you’re considering the transport industry and struggling.

Lee Halpin

I left the Army in August 2010 after serving 23 years in the Infantry. When I left, I jumped straight into the security industry firstly overseas then back in the UK, where I progressed into Management, over the years the industry has changed, and I felt I needed a change for my personal mental health and a less stressful environment.

I can’t thank Veterans into Logistics enough for all they have done for me.

From start to finish the support and advice I received from Darren and the team was excellent. I passed my CPC and HGV with flying colours and went straight into full-time employment.

What Darren and his team are doing for lads like myself is beyond words, they really are helping people sort their lives out by giving them a trade for the rest of their lives.

Being ex-military myself and relating a lot with Darren I felt at ease from the minute I walked in the office. Janice and Jon both care about what they are doing for ex-veterans and the time and effort their put in is outstanding

My life changed for the better and it’s all thanks to Veterans into Logistics!

Steven Eden

I am ex-military having served in the Queens Lancashire Regiment and I would like to take this opportunity to share my story so that other veterans read it and know there is support if you reach out for it.

For the past few years, I have been suffering with depression which led to me losing my self-esteem resulting in being unemployed for a long time. It was when I was at my lowest point that I went to Wigan Armed Forces HQ to see fellow veteran Andy Powell for support, it was during our conversation of how I can get self-esteem back into my life, I explained I always wanted to be a LGV Class 1 driver like my brother.

Andy informed me of Veterans into Logistics an organisation based in Manchester that supports ex-military personnel gain their LGV licence and back into employment. I contacted Veterans into Logistics and spoke with Darren Wright also a fellow veteran himself, Darren invited me down to their office to meet himself and the team and we discussed about what needed to be done to obtain my LGV licence.

Firstly, I was put on a Driver CPC Periodic training course for five days with fellow veterans which I really enjoyed because I was able to have a laugh with light-hearted banter with fellow veterans. It was after completing this course that I started to feel better within myself and started looking forward to life knowing I was one step closer to getting my LGV Class 1 licence.

Not only have I passed my LGV Class 1 driving test with Veterans into Logistics, but they arranged a job interview with Asda where I was offered full-time employment. I can honestly say that Veterans into Logistics have put a glow back in my life and my family’s fate, so from myself and my family I would like to thank Darren and the Veterans into Logistics team for their time and effort in giving me the confidence to become an LGV Class 1 driver.

From my heart, thank you!

Keep the work up as it’s outstanding what you are doing, making people believe they can achieve.

Top team!

Mick Crawshaw

My name is Mick Crawshaw and I was in the first battalion the Duke of Wellington regiment. In the first lockdown, I started to try to get my Class 2 HGV licence with Veterans into Logistics. It has been a long process because of Covid, but I am VERY HAPPY to say I’ve done it with the help of Darren from Veterans into Logistics, and I have a full Class 2 licence now!

Darren Barber

My journey with this organisation started when I first completed the Pathway into Logistics van driving training course, at the very start you could see by the standard of training offered, that the Instructors were not only former Armed Forces themselves, but also had a wide and varied wealth of experience from working within the industry, all of which they’re were happy to share, and offer helpful practical advice.

Upon completion of the fore mention course, I was then provided with the opportunity of additional professional training upon obtaining my HGV qualifications, with all the free additional information that I required, non-bias personal advice, and more importantly at the time, unlimited support from Darren, Narmin and the rest of the admin, and training staff in the possibility of improving my career prospects within this sector of industry, which I should state at this point, was completely a different pathway from my previous careers,.

This was when the real journey started, after various personal setbacks and issues at the beginning, I was always aware that I could contact any member of staff at Veterans into Logistics, with any additional issues, or problems should they occur, all without fear of any ridicule or personal judgement…

Every stage of the training and support process, starting from the very basic medical, all the various different administration and licensing procedures, to the theory and driving awareness tests, and finally, the practical driving aspects of the course was (what by this time you had become to expect) of the highest possible personal and professional standard.

Leaving me now, upon successfully (some would say finally) completing my HGV Class 2, with the personal desire to maintain my training with Veterans into Logistics and career prospects at a later date, in obtaining my Class 1, with a wide wealth of knowledge and advice, that I will never forget, such as… Remember, you are driving a lorry, not a Ferrari, or if in doubt, chicken out, and finally, not forgetting that old classic…

Don’t forget to use your bloody mirrors (Cheers Phil, for that one)

Ian Stirling

I joined the army at 17 to escape a difficult upbringing and a limited jobs market in my native Lancaster. I worked hard to meet the entry requirements, so the day I took my Oath of Allegiance was the proudest of my life. I had my military career mapped out in my head – driving tank transporters.

Sadly, that world came crashing down around my ears. Having just completed the “Asthma” run, I was called to the medical officer who told me I was to be discharged on medical grounds after only 2 years. News hard to swallow after passing all entry fitness tests and completing that run ahead of the instructor!

With my military career consigned to ignominy, I returned home feeling embarrassed and humiliated. I struggled to find satisfying work, factory work, butcher, some welding, care work and finally assembly work for a fabricator followed. The military chapter of my life was hardly spoken of until I decided to take part in a charity bike ride for Help for Heroes. Long served veterans respected me for signing on the dotted line, like they had. They convinced me I should be proud to have signed and been willing to give my life for Queen and country.

I became an active fundraiser for veterans’ charities, and it was while supporting The Last Post & Don War Memorial Museum in Thornaby in 2021, that I met Darren and Phil from Veterans into Logistics. They said they could possibly obtain funding to help me achieve my dream of becoming a Class 1 HGV Driver!

Veterans into Logistics provided advice to me while I determined it was time to make a move into a career which would be sustainable for the remainder of my working life.

I am above exhilarated that I passed my Class 1 driving test at the first attempt. I am extremely grateful to all at Veterans into Logistics for securing funding for my journey through training and I would like to extend a massive thank you to the company which provided the funding for my training.

The training and support I received from all at Veterans into Logistics has been fantastic and everyone has been very welcoming and supportive; they have certainly gone that extra mile to help me find a new career. I am excited about my future, and life looks good again with my upcoming wedding and prospects of a more satisfying work-life!