Phillips Automotive Mobile Mechanic

25/01/2026

🏃‍♂️ Run 4 complete. Breaking-in week done. Training now steps up a gear.

This past week marked four completed runs and the end of my “breaking me in” phase. From here on, the training becomes more structured, more demanding, and more deliberate.

This challenge already meant a lot to me — but recently, it’s become even more personal.

I served in Afghanistan. I wasn’t infantry, but I deployed onto the frontline with infantry, including NATO, non-NATO, and US forces, providing vehicle mission support and ensuring those going outside the wire had the equipment they needed to get there — and back — safely.

After leaving the military, I continued working in Afghanistan as both a government and military advisor, and later as a security contractor. These were demanding, high-pressure environments — and like many who’ve worked in them, I’ve carried difficulties since serving in those conditions.

Recent remarks about British troops on the frontline have been difficult to hear. Regardless of politics, what should never be questioned is the professionalism, sacrifice, and resilience of those who serve.

That’s why I’m running the Great North Run and fundraising for Combat Stress and A Step Forward — organisations that support people when the uniform comes off, contracts end, and the real work of processing experience begins.

Every mile matters. Every donation helps.

💙💚🧡 Support here
👉🏻 https://gvwhl.com/MJR8J

Thank you to everyone who’s supported this so far — it genuinely means more than you might realise.

16/01/2026

First run completed. Feeling good and absolutely buzzing considering my last run was July 2024.
Christened my new trainers too. The training towards this year’s Great North Run is well on the way now.

Please support my goal of raising funds for Combat Stress, the UK charity for Veterans, and A Step Forward, the local men’s mental health group that I’m proud to be part of. I am currently 11% towards the target.

https://gvwhl.com/MJR8J







Combat Stress
A Step Forward - South Tyneside

13/01/2026

📅 8 months from today, I’ll be recovering at the end of the day after completing the Great North Run.

By then, the miles will (hopefully) be in the legs, the medal will be earned — but the big question is:

👉🏻 Will I have hit my fundraising target of £800?

I’m taking on this challenge to support two incredible causes:
• Combat Stress, supporting veterans with mental health challenges.
• A Step Forward, helping local men move towards a more mentally positive future.

Every donation, share, or message of support genuinely makes a difference.

💚 Support here: https://gvwhl.com/MJR8J

If you’re able to donate — even a small amount — or help spread the word, I’d be hugely grateful.

Let’s make every step count 🏃🏻‍♂️💪🏻


Combat Stress
Step Forward - South Tyneside

As a veteran who served 12 years in the REME, I’ve seen first-hand how mental health challenges can affect not only those who’ve served, but also men in a…

20/10/2025

I have received my first donation. Hopefully of many more.

Please donate anything you can as every little helps. If you really cannot donate, please tag and share as much as you can.

Thank you 🙏🏻

As a veteran who served 12 years in the REME, I’ve seen first-hand how mental health challenges can affect not only those who’ve served, but also men in a…

13/10/2025

🚨 Big News! 🚨

This year, I’m taking on the Great North Run 2026 🏃‍♂️ to raise money for two causes very close to my heart:

💚 A Step Forward – a local men’s mental health group here in South Tyneside that quite literally saved my life and continues to help men open up and find support.

🎖️ Combat Stress – the UK’s leading veterans’ mental health charity, providing life-changing treatment for PTSD, anxiety, and depression. As a British Army veteran who served 12 years in the REME, with tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, I know firsthand how vital this support is.

Both of these causes mean the world to me. I’ve lost friends, I’ve struggled myself, and I know how important it is that no man — whether civilian or veteran — ever feels alone.

🙏 I’d love your support – every donation, share, or message of encouragement will make a difference. Together, we can raise awareness and funds to keep these life-saving services running.

🔗 Donate here:
https://gvwhl.com/MJR8J

💬 Please share this post and help spread the word. Let’s take a step forward together💚

As a veteran who served 12 years in the REME, I’ve seen first-hand how mental health challenges can affect not only those who’ve served, but also men in a…

06/07/2025

Returning customer asked to have a rear seatbelt checked after hearing a remark about it being an MOT failure.

The MOT isn’t due for a considerable time yet but headed around to check. The seatbelt turned out to not be retracting like it should and was frayed on the edges in a few locations.

A little more of an investigation, it was identified that the belt had been trapped in the door on several occasions causing stress on the mechanism. The belt was also twisted which was possibly the reason for the fraying on the belt edges.

A few hours work, and being supplied with a lovely bag of sweets and a few coffee’s, the new belt that was sourced by myself, was installed, a quick clean of all the parts as they were being refitted.

Belt was checked, tested and completed.

06/07/2025

Been a long while since I’ve done a post……….

Replaced a rear light cluster on a Ford C-Max.

Vehicle was reversed into an object that caused the rear light lens to be completely shattered and illegal although the bulbs were undamaged.

Vehicle owner had sourced and purchased their own light lens.

I confirmed it was the correct one.

Day after the vehicle owner received the light lens, I arrived at their house and had the light lens replaced, checked and tested within half hour.

Even disposed of the old light lens for them too.

13/11/2023

This weekend was Remembrance weekend.

Some of you may know already but for those of you that don’t, I served just short of 12 years in the British Army.

I served in the Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers (R.E.M.E.) as a vehicle and equipment engineer.

My Commander in Chief was HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh who I had the honour of meeting.
And my Oath of Allegiance and service was to HRH Queen Elizabeth II

When I decided to end my service to Queen and Country, I moved onto committing myself to working as a contractor in the most hostile environments continuously for several years.

The Remembrance weekend is extremely important to me. And no matter where I have been in the world, I will do my absolute best to commit myself to the 2 minutes silence.

If I was home, I would attend the Remembrance service with all other veterans, community members and serving members of all services.

“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.”

Here are a few pics of my time in military service, contracting, and attending Remembrance Day service.

07/11/2023

Customer request part 3:

This was an unplanned call out.

Customer was happy with the work put into their car but called due to the TPMS fault light remaining on.

I carried out a fault diagnosis.
The new TPMS sensor was now being read by the system but was showing a “Too Few Pulses” fault.

Today I got onto the phone to the parts provider of the new sensor who have guaranteed to provide a new sensor if the one already provided turns out to be faulty.

Next step is to arrange a day where I can take the car again to carry out further in-depth checks.

Customers partner had also been in touch regarding a faulty headlight on the Near-Side. A simple bulb change resolved this issue. The Off-Side was also changed so then both bulbs are off the same age, same amount of use and are the same type, colour and brightness.

04/11/2023

Customer request part 2:

Following on from the last post about TPMS fault.

Customer provided a free day that I could take the car and added that the service message had come on. And on top of that, another amber light had appeared but on the left side of the dash this time.

Took the keys, and checked the car over. Took it to a facility that I have access to.

~ Wheel removed.
~ Tyre removed.
~ Sensor identified.
~ Sensor scanned.
~ Sensor providing no signal of any sort.
~ Replacement sensor sourced.
~ Small service carried out: Oil and oil filter change, air filter change, full health check on the car.
~ TPMS sensor collected and replaced.
~ Sensor programmed to the car.

Additional light was the engine management light.
~ Diagnostics ran.
~ Historic fault code.
~ Fully cleared the fault.

Car returned to customer early afternoon.

04/11/2023

Customer request part 1:

A customer has been in touch about an amber warning light that has appeared on the dash.

She couldn’t quite explain what it was.

I went out in the evening to have a look and took diagnostic equipment with me.

Turned out to be the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) warning light.
~ The fault was cleared.
~ Car programmed to relearn the tire pressures.
~ Car was taken and had all correct pressures checked and pumped into all tires at nearest garage.
~ Road test carried out.
~ Pressures checked again.
~ Fault returned.

It became more apparent that one of the Tire Pressure Sensors was faulty.

Advised that the if the car could be borrowed for a day, I could look deeper into the issue and may resolve it.

The customers partner mentioned possible faults on his car.
So I did a full systems diagnosis check. Cleared any historic faults and confirmed there was nothing amiss or faulty.