case studies

Every month we feature someone’s story on the website, about how they became homeless and how their dealing with it now.

 

Rough Sleepers at Sherwood Street Day Centre. by Chaz, Tom and Jason

">Rough Sleepers at Sherwood Street Day Centre.

">Chaz, 55 – I have been married twice but both times we split up. I spent 15 years in the PARA’s and then after that I didn’t know what to do. I have been sleeping rough ever since. SSDC have done loads for me. They got me into Maltings (a detox house in Mansfield). They get me regular doctor appointments. I also get free breakfasts which is brilliant because you always know you’re gonna get fed.

">At SSDC I know everyone so it feels like a family. It’s not a charity here, it is more of a community. If I can get off the drink with the help of this place and the Maltings then I would like to travel round Europe. I’m always gonna be a rough sleeper but I don’t mind, I like it and accept that this is who I am.

">Jason Clark, 32 – I used to live and work in Ireland. I worked as a butcher in the slaughterhouse but I suffer from mental health difficulties and was depressed. I drank a lot of alcohol and tried to commit suicide. I poured petrol over myself and set fire to it. It ended up giving me 16% burns over my whole body. I came back to Mansfield and that is when I met Ceri, she probably saved my life. We got married after 3 years being together and have got 5 children.

">This January we split up because the relationship had got violent. Since then I’ve tried to commit suicide 4 more times. I’ve been to the day centre loads and they have really helped. They’ve taken me to the doctors so I can get some tablets to relieve my mental health problems. The centre also helps me out with things like clothes and food. They have also taken me to the courts as I’m trying to get visitation rights to see my children. Since we have split up my wife has kept the house and the children and I’ve been left with nothing.

">The manager Debs took me to see my kids a few weeks back and I just burst out crying. It made me realise that I’ve got to get clean if I want to keep seeing them. The centre has arranged for me to go on the Maltings detox programme. The programme will see me live down in Cornwall for the next 3 years completely alcohol free. It starts in October and I have to complete. For every 6 months I’m clean I will get to see my kids. Either they will come down or I can go up and see them. If I hadn’t have got the support here I would probably have tried to commit suicide again or do something worse like kidnap my kids, I was that desperate.

">Tom Hayes, 25 – My relationship with my ex-girlfriend broke down a few weeks ago. The stress had just kept building up I’ve been rough sleeping for three weeks now. We were both living together but when it broke down I had nowhere else to go. I fell out with my mum who I used to live with because she didn’t like my girlfriend. She was probably right.

">The staff at the centre have been brilliant. My health deteriorated really badly so they got me to the doctors. They also got in contact with the rest of my family in Ireland because of my health situation. My family have been really good. They’ve sent me some cash to get a flight back to Ireland where I can stay with them.

">I’m going to settle back down in Ireland and try and get a detox because I know I need one. I wouldn’t wish sleeping rough on anyone but at least I’m now going back to my family. It’s a new start and a new life and the centre has helped me get this second chance.

28/02/2007