Housing adaptations funded by Blesma and several other charities mean RAF veteran Austin Gallagher can sleep in his bed and wash in comfort once more.

After his right leg was amputated above the knee in 2019, 73-year-old Austin struggled to adapt to life with a prosthesis, and simple tasks became extremely difficult.

“I couldn’t get upstairs, so I slept on the settee for a year and half,” said the veteran from Liverpool. “I was in a lot of pain – it turned out that I had broken my back – so I ended up sleeping on the floor!”

The Association championed building an extension for a downstairs bedroom and wet room. The local council confirmed it would fund the project in November 2021 alongside contributions from Blesma, the RAF Benevolent Fund and the Liverpool Merchants Guild.

“My Support Officer worked with the contractor appointed by the local authority to pay the charities’ contribution up front as a deposit,” said Austin. “Blesma did everything possible to hurry the extension along and it was finally finished in May.

“It’s brilliant. The bedroom has been designed perfectly, with little things like the sockets being at a higher level. The wet room is big and has a seat for the shower so I can take the wheelchair in there. It’s everything a disabled person could want!”

“I was in a lot of pain – it turned out that I had broken my back – so I ended up sleeping on the floor!”

RAF veteran Austin