An ex-soldier who struggled with drug addiction and PTSD is getting his life back on track thanks to a social enterprise that helps vulnerable people.
Danny Chard, 33, says his life spiralled out of control after leaving the army when he ended up sleeping rough on the streets of Wrexham, getting in trouble with the law and becoming addicted to cocaine.
But he has found a new purpose in life thanks to the support he’s received from Yellow and Blue and he now volunteers at their community hub in Henblas Street in the town centre.
Danny told his story during a visit by North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Andy Dunbobbin who is a big fan of the organisation.
Yellow and Blue was founded by local plumbing and heating contractor Pete Humphreys following the death of his dad, also called Pete, and a close friend who both had bowel cancer.
It’s dedicated to helping vulnerable people and anyone facing short term or long-term hardship, illness, disability or is struggling physically and mentally.
Demand for their support rocketed during the pandemic and amongst other things they provided 21,000 free meals in a year during lockdown.
According to Danny, now in temporary accommodation with his partner, he will be forever grateful to Yellow and Blue for making a massive difference to his life.
He said: “After I came back to Wrexham I was struggling with mental health issues but unfortunately, I turned to drugs, cannabis and cocaine.
“I am clean of cocaine at the minute but I wouldn’t say I’m fixed. I’m at the stage they call ‘white knuckling’ but the support I get here is a massive help.
“I came to Yellow and Blue at the beginning of November because myself and my partner were street homeless, just asking for help because we’d been everywhere else and we just kept getting passed from pillar to post.
“The first thing Pete did was give us a hot drink, give us a meal and asked us if we needed any clothes. He treated us with respect. He didn’t look down on us. I had a chat with him and we’ve gone on from there.
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“I know what his aim is and what his vision is and I like where it’s going. I like what he’s doing with the local community and the immediate needs of the community, so I started volunteering.”
“The most important thing is the respect we get here. We’re all human.”
Commissioner Dunbobbin was grateful to Danny for sharing his experiences during a visit, which illustrated the “transformational impact” Yellow and Blue was having on the lives of the people who turned to them in their hour of need.
He said: “Yellow and Blue is a brilliant social enterprise and the work they do here is just phenomenal.
“It’s all driven by the vision of one man, Pete Humphreys, and it’s a fantastic tribute to his dad and his friend who inspired him. I’m sure they’re looking down on him with great pride.
“What they’re achieving at Yellow and Blue is also a great credit to the local businesses who support them.
“This is a model that could be replicated anywhere and it would be great if something similar was established in other towns across North Wales.”
Pete set up Yellow and Blue after overcoming mental health issues following the death of his dad and his close friend.
He said: “I still do plumbing occasionally but Yellow and Blue takes up all my time.
“We had £10,000 from the National Lottery at the beginning but we are struggling for funding and we’re surviving day by day.
“We really need all the help we can get. We need multi-year funding now for sustainability so I don’t have to worry about the next month’s rent.”
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