TORFAEN music workshops run by a man who was once homeless have helped an unemployed man to start his own business.

In 2012, the Argus reported how Kevin Webb, who found himself homeless in his twenties, had started running guitar workshops locally.

Through his business All About Guitars, he has now helped another man to become self employed.

David Holland, 56, from Croesyceiliog, found himself jobless from his position as a night manager after The Commodore Hotel in Cwmbran when it closed down over two years ago.

He said: “I was having no luck finding a new job and I started to feel I was too old and past it.”

Then he saw an advertisement for Mr Webb's course, which he completed last August.

He said: “Kevin sparked something in me and it gave me confidence so when the course was done, I decided I wanted to turn it into a career and become self employed.”

Mr Holland opened his guitar store Frets on Broad Street in Blaenavon three months ago.

“It was a massive learning curve becoming self employed and it’s a lot of pressure but I’m really happy,” he added.

Mr Webb, originally from Usk, said it had also been a long journey for himself.

In his 20s, the 49-year-old mixed with the wrong crowd, which led to him becoming homeless

He came back to the UK and earned a degree in design and technology. He then taught in several schools in Monmouthshire before being made an assistant head teacher.

In 2010, he accepted voluntary redundancy, which was when he decided to focus on his love of music and helping others.

He received a £5,000 grant from Awards for All and set up workshops at the Life Music Foundation, where people learnt to fix guitars.

He said: “In just four years, I've moved from teaching and accepting redundancy, to building a limited company All About Music UK and becoming an approved trainer.

“I've now helped to improve the employability of over 25 local people.”

He called Mr Holland a “recent success”, adding: “He's worked extremely hard and it's just the best thing to see him now running his own business in a subject area that he loves.”g his own business.”