“I was living in my own house in Coventry, everything was fine. I was working on and off – I was reasonably well off.”
Fourteen years ago, John worked as an engineer and owned his home. But as his mental health declined, he lost his job, fell into debt, and ultimately became homeless. Over the next decade, John faced the harsh realities of life on the streets, without stability or support. He slept in parks, busy cities, hostels and empty buildings. At one point he was even sleeping in a graveyard.
“I’ve slept in a graveyard, in a mausoleum. I slept in the Science Park and got caught. The buildings have a point in the middle where the air conditioning is – but it’s still got a roof. And the air conditioning used to warm my head up, so I used to sleep there.”
After John was referred to Hope into Action’s supported housing, things finally began to change. At 56, John was given the opportunity to live in one of their houses, where he could begin to rebuild his life. When he arrived, he was withdrawn and shut down, with the debt from previous failed tenancies hanging over him. He didn’t have any support network and didn’t really trust anyone. But over time, John connected with his support worker Becky, who helped him address his debt and regain confidence.
“Becky was giving me advice on how to handle my money. She was motivating me, going out for walks, making sure I was getting my exercise and keeping healthy, clean and tidy and [keeping] the house tidy.”
“It was always the same person, and you get to trust each other and it helps you to move forward.”
With Becky’s guidance, John became increasingly proactive, opening up about his finances and working through the steps to resolve his debt. Last summer, John’s housing debts were finally cleared, paving the way for him to secure a new one-bedroom bungalow through a social housing organisation. At this point, Becky and John applied for a £450 grant through the Vicar’s Relief Fund. This was quickly approved and allowed John to pay for his rent in advance, empowering him to move forward independently.
Reflecting on his VRF grant, which was made up of individual donations from supporters, John recognises how much of a difference this made to his life.
“The donations have allowed me to get on with my life and move forward. Have a place to live, get me off the street. It gave me a life again.”
“I’ve got no debts still, it’s a year later, and I’m very happy where I am.”
Now, John is thriving in his own home, paying bills, managing his finances, and engaging with his community. He’s even helped interview new support workers and has been recognised by Hope into Action for his progress, receiving their “moving on well” award. Looking forward, John’s goal is to maintain his independence and his new home. He recognises that the right support, through programmes like Hope into Action and the VRF, were key to changing his life, as they continue to be for many others facing homelessness across the UK.
“When I was homeless, a park represented somewhere to go to sleep in the night where it was reasonably quiet, no people around. Now it represents just what it always did – just a nice place to go for a walk.”
