Former Army sergeant from Featherstone raises thousands for UK’s first veteran care village

Ian Ward, 57, last had a haircut and shave before lockdown started. His partner Diane Richardson got out the scissors, clippers and razor to shear him in support of Broughton House Veteran Care Village, a home for ex-servicemen and women in Great Manchester.

Ian, a father-of-two, served in the Queen’s Lancashire Regiment and the Royal Horse Artillery for more than 20 years in total. His father served in the Royal Artillery for 24 years.

Diane, a hospital sonographer at the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, also has her own connection to Broughton House as her aunt and uncle worked there, and her father, who was in the Royal Navy, delivered prescriptions to its residents for a local pharmacy after leaving the service.

Ian, who is a shunter driver for DHL in Knottingley, raised more than £1,900 with the logistics company pledging to match the total. The money will help Broughton House in its quest to create the UK’s first veteran care village.

Ian said: “I’ve never had my hair so long – it’s normally a number two back and sides for me and my beard had always been tidy until lockdown. Being a former serviceman myself, and seeing the plight of so many veterans and the fantastic care Broughton House has given to veterans for more than a century, I decided to support it as it’s a great cause.”

Donations can be made at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ian-ward26.