Ex-homeless veteran to run seven marathons in seven days
Jac Brown Filming and PhotographyA former RAF medic is training to run seven marathons in seven days across seven continents to support a charity that helped him when he was sleeping rough in a tent on a golf course.
Ben Constable was left homeless after his grandparents, who he had been caring for, died.
He kept it from his family "until the Royal British Legion stepped in" and helped him find a flat and paid for him to become a personal trainer. He then became a health care assistant, applied to university and, in December, gained a nursing degree.
Ben, from St Annes, Lancashire, is now a registered nurse and a RBL ambassador, committed to veteran support, mental health awareness and neurodiversity advocacy.
University of LancashireFour years ago, Ben said he received a "life-changing" diagnosis of autism as well as complex PTSD from his time being homeless and in the RAF.
He said the RBL's Step Back into Health programme also helped him enormously.
The programme helps military veterans who have left the armed forces get into health care.
He said graduating from University of Lancashire with his nursing degree was "one of the proudest moments of my life".
"Dreams do come true and that was my dream, to become a nurse."
He now works as an ambassador for the RBL "to give back and say thank you".
'It wasn't easy'
He added running was his therapy and he had done marathons in London, Blackpool, Manchester, Berlin and New York.
Ben now hopes to take on the ultimate endurance challenge, The Great World Race, in 2027, running seven marathons on seven continents in seven days, including Antarctica.
He is currently raising the 20,000 euro entry fee and said his mission was "to raise a million pounds for the Royal British Legion for all the help and support they've given me over the years".
"Looking back I was in a very dark place and it was one of those moments where I started questioning myself about a lot of things," he said.
"It wasn't easy and if they hadn't stepped in I don't know what direction I would have gone to."
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