Tell us your story
We’d like to hear about your experiences of being homeless.
Sharing your story is a great way of raising awareness about homelessness. It can help promote understanding about the issues affecting homeless people as well as motivate people to support Action Homeless.
We might want to use your story:
- On our website
- For newspaper and magazine stories
- To help our fundraising efforts
- In our publications
- To highlight important campaign issues
We will always contact you to make sure it’s ok for us to use your story in any of the above ways. You’ll always have the option to say no. We will never pass on your contact details without asking for your permission first.
If you’re able to share your story with us, please complete this short form.
If it’s more convenient, you can also email your story to info@actionhomeless.org.uk
Stories people have already sent us
“I first became aware of Action Homeless at the end of 2006 after sleeping rough on the streets of Leicester for almost 2 years. I was put into contact with Mayfield House after speaking to Outreach and was offered a place to stay.
I quickly moved into the Hollies where I was able to cook and clean for myself. I was then moved to Oakfield House and given more independence with cooking, cleaning and budgeting. The help and support I received was a great benefit to me and my mental health. If a problem arose regardless of size it was dealt with, with the utmost professionalism and discretion. The key worker, Vicky Brookes was and still is very approachable, giving plenty of unbiased and useful advice.
After staying at Oakfield for approximately 18 months, I then moved to Severn Street, a part of Avondale, which is a one bedroom self contained flat. I was only at the project for 6 weeks before being offered a one bedroom flat with Midland Heart in February of this year. Since being with Action Homeless I have almost completed an Access course at Leicester College in Social Sciences and have been offered a place at Leicester University to study Sociology. I also have a part time job at Morrison’s Supermarket.
I still remain in contact with Action Homeless and Ms Brookes via the resettlement unit based at Mayfield House. I find this beneficial in the fact that if any problems arise, I still have the help and advice if needed. I believe that Action Homeless and the resettlement unit provide a valued service to service users both old and new as we know there is help there if needed.”
“Having had a breakdown in my mental health about this time last year, I found myself in the position of being homeless; a position I would never have even considered myself to be in. Whilst I was hospitalised at the Bradgate Mental Health Unit, my social worker found me a place with Action Homeless in Mayfield House and assessment unit.
With the help and support of an extremely dedicated staff team, I came through the whole experience unscathed and with a new and solid foundation to build on. After five weeks I was transferred to Oakfield House, another of Action Homeless’ projects – an independent living unit staffed 9-5 Monday to Friday.
Whilst being at Oakfield I was given the opportunity to deal with any outstanding issues, whilst being supported and living independently in my own bed-sit. After seven months I was made an extremely good offer of accommodation by Leicester City Council due to the efforts of my support worker.
Just to summarise, it would not have been possible for me to be living the happy, healthy, complete lifestyle that I now have the opportunity to do, without the help and support of the Action Homeless charity and the incredible support of its workers who on many occasions were willing to go more than the extra mile in the support of service users.
Furthermore, Action Homeless has set up a resettlement service in which the service users are actively encouraged to participate as part of this service in order that it becomes user led. I therefore can still receive support from Action Homeless for up to two years which is a very positive and reassuring thought for the future – a homeless project with a beginning, middle and an end. “
“I’m a current resident within one of the Action homeless projects. I am hoping that by telling my story I can help people who are suffering as I did to seek help. I was 17 years old when I was forced into an arranged marriage with a man much older than myself and within 3 years had 3 sons.
For years I was abused both physically and mentally by my husband (and his family) .... gradually my sons began to follow in his footsteps and began to be violent towards me also. As you can imagine this was not only a very intimidating situation to live in but was heartbreaking that the boys I had loved and raised could treat me so badly also. Unfortunately due to our culture this was in a way condoned by my family as my efforts to seek help from them were constantly denied ... if I were to leave I would be deemed to be bringing shame upon them... if I were to leave I would no longer be their Daughter.
I spent 20 years looking after them all and enduring the violence and abuse out of fear of losing all that I loved. I would spend my days doing my chores and then lock myself in my bedroom just to be safe. It all came to a head one day when I was stood in my kitchen being attacked by my husband and sons because they were hungry. I was shaking uncontrollably and remember picking up a knife with every intention of using it on myself... something inside me had snapped. It took a minute for me to gather my thoughts and realise that what I wanted to do was not the right solution for me and instead, as soon as I could without raising suspicion, sought help from my GP whom I knew I could trust.
She gave me the strength and courage I needed to leave, and I did, much to the disappointment of my family. I was referred to Action Homeless, and couldn’t be more grateful, as they have not only provided me with accommodation, much needed counselling and endless emotional support but have also helped me through divorce proceedings (of which I was extremely terrified and would not have gotten through alone) that resulted in me being awarded everything I was entitled to and a little more as compensation for all I had endured.
I can see now that I have done the right thing for myself, despite being told for all these years that it would be wrong of me and despite the consequence of losing my family. I now have family in the people I have met throughout this journey. I still sometimes feel guilty but this is fading as the staff help me to think positively and feel good about myself.”