Hi Duncan,
Well great to hear the enthusiasm, you'll need it!!
Went exactly the same way myself awhile back, that first validation is the killer. I had to do the MER unpaid for 3 months to get that validation but it was worth all the struggling in the end. As was mentioned above bombard everyone & anyone in ATC, arrange visits to some of the smaller airfields and see what happens. If you're down on the south coast I can recommend a visit to Shoreham, go talk to John Haffenden and meet the guys, if they can't help they might know someone who can. Also give Serco a bell, offer to train unpaid initially (they'll love that) but they need people for those outer lying places (North Denes
) but it'll get your foot in the door.
Anyway good luck in what ever you do and when you start building up those rejection letters, just keep trying, it'll happen sooner or later.
Rgds FT