From homeless to hopeful, thanks to the work of these special people

I was beaten a lot throughout my childhood mostly for no reason, and for doing things that all kids say or do – like telling my Mam when I was feeling sick. Mam had quite a few partners throughout my childhood, and often they would take it upon themselves to punish me too, so yeah, growing up in my house was rough. I spent most of my childhood being petrified, and I used to cry my eyes out. Even to this day now, if people argue in front of me, I break down.

As a child, I lived with my Mam, three sisters and three brothers.

I think I was about 12 when I finally realised my home life was not normal. I was never given anything for my birthday as a child, there were house parties every night of the week, police would get called constantly and I was proper skinny too. The only thing I got to eat was lentils. I remember, one of my Mam’s ex-boyfriends would fill up the lentils and put it on the table and that’s what we’d eat. It would just be dried lentils. If you didn’t eat them, you’d get force fed them.

Despite what was going on at home, I was still attending school but I did struggle my way through. I was known as the teacher’s pet, but it was because I felt safe there and never wanted to go home.

It was when I turned 16 that I became homeless. I came home and asked for food, but instead I got a boiling cup of coffee thrown at me, including the cup. I just ran off. I just left. I don’t think I even had shoes on. All I knew was that I couldn’t take the toxic environment at my Mam’s any longer. I started sofa surfing, but then ended up on the streets.

I used to lay near the bars at the school because it was sheltered. I would get up at 5am because I didn’t want to be there for school kids and all that. I’d make sure I was gone, then all day I’d just be wandering about. I had to lend phones from random people on the street to other people that were walking in the town. As you can imagine, it was nearly impossible to sleep too.

I’d probably get two or three hours before it would start raining, or I’d get woken up. It’d just be a nightmare. I didn’t have any covers, it was horrible. I was sleeping on cardboard and things I could find during the day. I was begging people for food. I didn’t want money, I just wanted to eat. I’ve always felt that there’s such a stigma of homelessness – some people are like, “He’s going to be on drugs, if I give him money.” 

It was such a horrible situation. It makes you feel bottom grade of anything – it’s a lot easier to lose everything than it is to gain everything. You can lose everything overnight. I was eating off the floor, and walking up the hills and trying to find streams and things like that to wash myself in. I got weed on once, it made everything stink.

I was so happy to find out about Nightstop, which is a service provided by volunteers who open their homes for the night. Martin, from the charity Depaul UK, who help run the service, was the most helpful and kindest person. It was the most overwhelming thing I’ve ever experienced in my whole entire life. I thought I was just the bottom of the line. It was just a helping hand. I realised I wasn’t as alone as I thought I was. 

The first night I stayed with a volunteer, I was very nervous but really optimistic, because like I said to Martin, it’s better than on the streets. Even though it was stranger, it’s not a random person, I knew she’d been completely vetted. I’m with someone who’s been trained to do this and is doing it constantly. The woman I stayed with was perfect. She was bang on with everything. She had food for me straight away and made me feel really comfortable, she showed me where I’d be sleeping, and I had my own bedroom.

It was amazing. I couldn’t put it into words. I got a shower and everything. I felt safer there than I did in my own home. I stayed there for two nights while Martin helped find me something more permanent. Now I’m living in shared accommodation.

I have my own bedroom and bathroom. Then next door there’s a hub where you can come down and play pool, play board games and speak to someone. You can sit and talk to new people and forget my stuff for a little while and speak to someone else. 

This is helpful because I struggle with loneliness and when I’m on my own, I’ll obsess over things on my body, I'll pick on my arms and bite my nails and things like that. Life shouldn’t be like this really, but things are getting better.

I’m filling my time with meeting counsellors and football training and I was offered a job at Amazon in a warehouse. I go shopping and I cook for myself. I do try and do as much as I can. It does feel like I’m making some giant strides into a new life. 

This really is all thanks to Nightstop and Depaul UK, a great charity that helps people that are in dire need and turns situations the right way up. It turned my life around. In just two days. It changed my entire prospect of my entire life. It changed every aspect of my life. It took me from the bottom of the pecking order to giving me somewhere to live and grow up. I couldn’t thank Depaul and Nightstop enough.

Last year, Depaul UK worked with more than 2,000 young people, supporting them to find accommodation, stability, and employment opportunities. It operates services across England, in London, the North East, Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire. 

For more information about youth homelessness or to support Depaul UK’s “One night can change a life” Appeal please visit www.depaul.org.uk/one-night-can-change-a-life.