Since the Disabled Veterans’ Scholarships Fund (DVSF) began in 2018, 260 scholarships have been awarded to Disabled Veterans. Gregg Stevenson was one of the 50 Disabled Veterans scholarships awarded in 2019, and in 2022 he has been awarded a BSc (Hons) Sport, Fitness and Coaching.
After struggling at both local college and in low skilled jobs, Gregg joined the Army at 19 and enjoyed his time in the Forces, but an incident whilst on active service put a premature end to his career.
After the incident, Gregg’s determination helped him to make a fast-paced recovery and was soon up on his prosthetic legs during his stay at Headley Court Rehabilitation Centre. He returned to his home in East Lancashire but found it hard to find his place in Civvy Street. After his successful career in the military, he felt back at square one.
He struggled with depression and to find a way forward. The turning point was when his wife asked him “why don’t you do as much as you used to do?” and he realised that he had been making excuses for the last two years, and actually he could. He could go to the gym, he could swim, he could go out with his friends. He set himself a 12-week programme to get his life back on track – exercising, healthy eating, cutting out bad habits and generally taking care of himself. After three months, he could really see a difference – he was sleeping better, he felt better, he had lost weight, he was more active – and, as Gregg commented, “I felt like a million dollars!”
Working hard on his own physical fitness and improving mental health, he realised that coaching and teaching would be a good career for him. He knew what the programme had done for him, and he wanted to share it with others.
“My military training taught me to utilise my best attributes. I ultimately want to inspire people to be the best they can be. I worked hard to gain my qualifications in fitness, become a level 3 personal trainer with a level 3 exercise referral specialism and have level 4 specialist in diabetes weight management. I was initially planning to be a teacher.”
When Gregg heard about The Open University’s DVSF he was taking a career break from his role managing a rehabilitation gym within the NHS.
“I heard about the OU’s Disabled Veterans’ Scholarships Fund and applied straight away. I was thrilled when I heard the news that I had been successful.
“Before the DVSF scholarship with OU, I experienced knock backs from my local universities saying I wouldn’t cope with higher education. The OU understood and valued my experience, for that I’m so very grateful.”
As Gregg loved his subject area and he fitted his university work around his job, his sports and busy family life. He loved learning the theory behind the topics he is so passionate about.
“Not only has studying with The Open University given me a degree, which I am very proud of – it has also developed my research skills, improved my confidence and given me a different view of the world.”
“I want to continue working with veterans and I feel I now have the qualifications to back up my experience – and what better experience than to have been through it yourself? My interests have moved from physical fitness to mental health and I spent some time in the Veterans Mental Health Service (Op Courage) taking other veterans through the 12-week programme.
“My hard work over the past three years has paid off and I happily clicked the accept this classification,” explained Gregg. “A 2:1 means I’m off to study a Master’s in Psychology at Bolton University.”
Gregg’s boys are super proud of their Dad, and they would often all study together. “I want my boys to be proud of their achievements too, and proud to be smart (unlike I was at school). There is no shame in being in the top sets for everything. I want them to have a different start than I had – the grades I had achieved at school limited my choices, and as a result I eventually joined the military to better my opportunities.”
And he is thankful to the DVSF to enabling him to continue his studies and get his dream job. He described it as “an incredible scheme that has truly meant so much to me.” And he wanted to say to donors to never underestimate what a veterans can do – without them this scholarship scheme just would not be possible. The OU (and the donors who support the scheme) took a chance on me and I was determined to repay that belief. I am embarking on a career for life which will help me to give back and keep me and my family safe and well.
“I’m a proud ex-serviceman that sadly had my military career ended prematurely while serving in Afghanistan. As a bi-lateral amputee, I mobilise with prosthetics and my hearing loss means I have to wear hearing aids – but, I have never let my disability define me.”
His dreams are now focussed on taking part in the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024 with the Paralympic Rowing Squad.