I was living in the woods when one day Bex and John (Turning Tides Outreach Workers) found me and offered help. They told me about the Recovery service and set me up with a keyworker who made a plan for me. I have started to trust again and see how people can care for one another. I feel like a human being again.
In August 2019, I found myself abruptly and unfairly evicted. In the blink of an eye my life had completely unravelled – I was homeless. For so many years, as I moved from one place to another, I just felt unsafe and on edge. Now, after coming to Turning Tides, I feel hopeful about the future.
The charity really has been such a godsend. If I could rate them on an app, I would press on the five stars all day long. Without their support and those who help fund the charity, I honestly do not know where I would be right now. It frightens me to think about it. I am proof that becoming homeless can happen to anyone.
When you live on the streets, you just can’t see how you are going to do anything else with your life. It takes everything out of you to just survive. Gradually, depression, despair and embarrassment took hold. When I moved in with Turning Tides, it was the first time in a very long time that I felt safe and had a reason for living.