This week, a dad-of-five who appeared in court was likened to a "prepper" - someone who takes steps to prepare for social disorder or a natural disaster.

While he dismissed the title, Cherva "Chevy" Castles fully embraces the "prepper" lifestyle and even offers tips to others who want to follow suit. Reporter Ben Austin met up with him.

A war in Ukraine. The cost of living crisis. Flooding. They are all scenarios we've faced in recent months and you could, at times, be forgiven for feeling like society could be teetering on a knife edge.

The pandemic tested our resolve and scares about problems with the supply chain saw petrol pumps run dry and supermarket shelves emptied due to panic buying.

While most of us just did our best to cope with what was thrown at us, a select group of individuals was ready – preppers.

These are people who are not going to wait to be told what to do, preferring instead to come up with their own plans.

One such prepper is Cherva "Chevy" Castles from Gillingham.

I contacted Chevy to find out more about what it means to be a prepper.

I had hoped to talk to him in his "bug in" location – somewhere he would retreat to if the worst happened – but he said the whereabouts of this secret place was off-limits. So we had to make do with the next best thing – the Tesco Extra car park in Gillingham.

Chevy, who is a head gardener, has been into prepping for 25 years but said his passion for the lifestyle originated long before it became a hobby.

He said: "I had quite a rough upbringing and so I always had to do things for myself, prepare for myself and it just carried on into adult life.

"I'm an outdoorsy kind of person, camping, survivalism, and that all plays into the prepping.

"As I've gotten older and got a family I've realised there are other things you can prepare for."

The 54-year-old arrived in the car park in his eye-catching Vauxhall Zafira, which is very much geared up for the prepper lifestyle.

Adorning the bonnet were four storage cylinders Chevy said could be used and buried to stash away food, liquid or anything else you might need.

There was also a roof rack carrying equipment such as mud tracks and spare wheels. There was no room in the boot for that type of thing – it had been gutted to create living space.

Chevy admits the vehicle, which he also uses to promote his prepping, turns heads.

"It started off as just a bit of fun to advertise prepping and put it out there.

"I've met so many people who beep me or pull me over and want to talk about certain things. They then join my Facebook group and are off.

"The most famous thing I get is 'If it all kicks off we're going to Chevy's' – but if it does I won't be there.

"It's a misconception to go the prepper's house but not all my stuff is there and if that's what you're thinking you've left it too late."

Along with his car, Chevy brought some equipment every prepper should have with them, just in case.

In the boot, he had a couple of days of food rations and medical supplies.

There was also a stab vest, a night-vision gadget and – a gas mask.

"The gas mask is the notorious icon collector's piece of the prepper," he said.

"Hopefully the day will never come where you would have to use one but it is on the list. In all honesty, if you ever needed it, you're in trouble.

"Equipment-wise, I hope I never have to use it but with stuff like the gas mask and stab-vest you're only going to need it once and you either have it or you don't, so I'd rather have it."

Chevy says he's very an "everyday prepper" – making sure he has rations and supplies to get him through more common issues.

To him, it is all about being able to stay calm in times of panic.

He recalled a recent example, when a problem with deliveries meant shops ran out of dog food.

Since then, as the owner of two Alsatians, their food has been added to the emergency stockpile.

"Prepping is just looking ahead a little and being ready for any small problem that crops up," he said.

"If the gas went off, the amenities went off, what would you do?

"For a day is ok but for a week to two weeks, people are going to struggle.

"So I make sure we have alternative water and food so we're not panicking or out panic buying. It's just thinking ahead."

Chevy is active on social media to help others looking to get involved in the lifestyle.

He continued: "I've met a lot of like-minded people and realised there are a lot of people who think like me and that's when I started the Facebook group.

"Recently someone said to me 'why don't you do a YouTube channel?' I don't understand how that works but my daughter helps me out with that and it's amazingly successful."

His posts give advice on the ways to prep and how to grow and develop your skills, such as to use the "little and often" approach.

He said: "Every day, every week, every month, if that's what you can afford, just spend £10 or less on pasta, beans or rice. The next week buy cans, sauces or other things – you'll be surprised how fast your stores fill up without realising it.

"It's about little and often, spending what you can to build your stores.

"For me it's never about money. I've never had a lot of it and have always had to work, pay cheque to pay cheque.

"If you have money you could do what you like but I'm trying to do it with no budget at all – scrimp and scavenge and have ideas.

"Work is useful for that as we deal with a lot of waste, so I get by picking out of what is going to be thrown."

Chevy has brought the lifestyle to his family life, passing on his skills to his daughter who too has fully embraced the prepper lifestyle.

The same cannot be said of his wife.

He said: "My daughter got involved with hunting and camping when she was four. She has just become a Lance Corporal in the cadets and is continuing her personal journey.

"She is very tuned in, switched-on bright, and it's difficult to get one past her. Hopefully she may take over the mantle when dad moves on.

"My wife is a complete opposite to me. She has a saying while we're living here and everything is working we live in her world, when everything goes pear-shaped we'll live in mine – it's a best of both worlds.

"Both my wife and daughter are very modern and up to date with technology and I have to ask for their help on that aspect but if everything goes wrong they have dad to fall back on."

And if they do need to fall back on him, Chevy has a plan.

He said: "Circumstances change all the time and in the old days it was 'grab your bug-out bag and head for the hills' but you learn very quickly that it won't be like that.

"So I've adjusted my prepping to bugging in, staying at home where your surroundings are familiar. You know the area, your neighbours and it is where all your supplies are.

"I've grounded in solar panels, water systems, food supplies and an ability to get rid of waste.

"So I've changed to bugging in, staying put and defending my territory.

"It's about prepping for general everyday life – being able to find water and food or looking after your family in times of panic or civil unrest. You don't know what it could be."

Chevy says most people are preppers, to an extent, without even knowing it.

"If in your car, you have a fuel can and a jack and a couple of fuses in the back – you're prepping, just in case you break down.

"It's the same thing with me – I just exaggerate it into every aspect of my life."