A Merseyside veteran who struggled with his anger and suffered traumatic experiences is using his army skills to transform the lives of others.
Tommy Cashen, 37, always dreamt of joining the army from when he was a young boy.
Always seeing his dad in his TA uniform and insisting he went to every fancy dress party dressed as a soldier, Tommy, who is originally from Kirkby, thought he had no other passion in life.
But as he approached secondary school, Tommy started struggling with his behaviour, which is something that he didn't truly understand until he started working with children himself.
The father-of-four said: "As a young person myself, I struggled with my anger.
"I didn't do very well at school and I didn't have any aspirations to do well.
"I always had my heart set on joining the Armed Forces.
"I got into a couple of fights, a little bit of trouble in school and got threatened to be kicked out of school at one point because I found it hard to manage myself and cope with the anger issues I had.
"I wasn't a bully, I was just a lad with pride. If anyone said anything I felt like I had to do something."
Wanting to turn his negative energy into something positive, Tommy began boxing in Kirkby to control his feelings and soon calmed down.
He said: "Year 11 was the only year were I applied myself in school.
"I ended up getting no GCSEs grades A-C, but in my attitude, in my world, I didn't need it - I was joining the army."
At age 16, Tommy left school and went on an army preparation course and later into army foundation college, where he continued to box.
Tommy said that "ironed out a few of the creases that needed doing" before he went into phase two, becoming a soldier and joining The King's Regiment, the first battalion.
A few months later, the then 18-year-old found himself on tour in Northern Ireland, where he patrolled the streets and participated in undercover runs, dropping off high ranked officers in secret locations.
He said: "It was nothing major, but I felt like I was on top of the world.
"I started feeling like I was getting a bit of action and getting involved."
Over time, Tommy moved to different areas and had different roles within the army.
But experiences of violence whilst on the tours, threatening situations and fights taking place around him started to take its toll.
From being woken up to being attacked in the barracks to getting caught up defending a family member whilst visiting home, Tommy's struggles became stronger - and so did his concerns for the future.
He said: "'I was struggling within myself from what I'd seen. The riots, things in Northern Ireland, the barrack room stuff. I was changing a little bit as a person.
"I came out the army because I was having a son and that's when I realised I needed GCSEs. I needed them for a job.
"I'd hit the heights of what I wanted to do and now I was out nothing was quenching my thirst, plus I had no qualifications to do anything.
"To be honest I drank quite a lot to numb what I was feeling.
"I started having anxiety, panic attacks, hyperventilation, things like that.
"Me being the strong character I always was, I saw it as a weakness, I wouldn't open up about it."
Tommy worked in numerous different jobs, such as working selling gas and electricity door-to-door, security work and being a phone operator.
Then he got an opportunity to work as a youth worker, through his sisters' link within the local community.
Using his life experiences and skills from the army to improve the lives of children and adults, he has had roles in care homes and in a secure unit in Redbank community home.
Tommy found himself working towards a new purpose and later started working in schools under Commando Joe's and running his own bootcamp in Kirkby.
Using army skills such as fitness and exercise, team work and communication, Tommy began to see himself in the children he was working with and with the help of Centre 63 in Kirkby, he set up Kids Activities and Bootcamps (Kabs).
Tommy said: "Leaving the army without GCSEs, having a son to provide for, not being able to find a job, struggling with anxiety, my mental health, being diagnosed with PTSD because of my traumatic experiences and then just muscling through it.
"Everything in my previous employment has lead me to where I am now."
Working in community centres, schools and leisure centres in Merseyside and further afield, Kabs offers additional needs clubs, kids clubs, bootcamps, work in schools, and even training and rehabilitation of veterans who struggle with PTSD.
Kabs also works with young people with special educational needs, including children with social, emotional, mental health and behavioural issues.
And activities can include anything from exercise and fitness, sports and games and problem solving tasks.
Tommy has also just been given the role of running activities for single parents and families funded by the Gingerbread organisation, a charity for single parents families.
Inspiring children to work hard, succeed and gain life skills, Kabs offers an indirect approach to learning - and Tommy is extremely proud of its success.
He said: "If I get a kid in a club I can't get rid of them, they love it. They don't even realise they're learning.
"They come in for activities and games but I'm watching them develop and gain confidence, respect, resilience and all these other skills they'll need in life.
"It was never something I thought I wanted to do, but I love what I do now."
