VETERANS who are looking for a new career path have been handed a lifeline thanks to the foundation of a new service-leavers maintenance company.

Military charity Building Heroes launched the company in Colchester as part of its mission to tackle unemployment among veterans.

Building Heroes has already set more than 1,000 former servicemen and women on the path of a construction career by offering training.

Operating in partnership with Colchester Institute since 2017, more than 250 have been retrained in Colchester alone.

The new company, Building Heroes Property Services, will bring in work for the newly-qualified veterans.

Brendan Williams, chief executive, said: "When you open your door, you want to know you can trust the person walking through it.

"All our skilled tradespeople are military veterans - it goes without saying they are people you can rely on.

"You can be safe in the knowledge they will do the very best job, whilst also giving you the opportunity to recognise the commitments they have made for their country.

"When you use one of our people, to fix your tap, plaster your wall, or re-decorate your house, you are giving something back to those who were prepared to risk the ultimate sacrifice, their lives, to keep us safe."

Any profits the company makes will be reinvested in the training of more service-leavers, veterans and their families.

Tom McLoughlin, chief operating officer, added: "When you call us all your calls will be handled by military spouses, adding even more value to the military family we all value so highly.

"We are creating lifelines here.

"We know that it is a precarious time to launch a business, but we believe that it is worth taking the risk.

"We hope that by getting work coming in, this will bring money in for veterans and their families who really need it."

For more, go to propertyservices.buildingheroes.org.uk or call 0330 390 0940.