• December 12, 2016

  |

• By aissagallie

  |

One of our Tameside customers has written this incredible poem, sharing his personal experience of homelessness. Supported accommodation is about so much more than providing someone with keys to a house. It’s about rebuilding lives. Our Foundation teams are working to help their customers rebuild lives, making houses into homes, everyday of the year.

Things that led to having no bed

There was a point when things were fine

Looking forward to a new day, a clear, bright day in the sunshine.

Started to hang around with the wrong crowd

Doing drugs and the wrong things that were not allowed.

Before I knew it I was behind bars

Locked up with murderers, thieves, big scary men with lots of battle scars.

It made me realise I didn’t want to live like this

I want a life of happiness and bliss

I bettered myself and left full of confidence and hope

But after a while I was back on that slippery slope.

I moved into a house of my own, but ended up losing my job and not affording the rent,

Not being able to pay the bills, thinking of all the money I had spent.

I struggled with depression, felt lonely and dark inside,

Maybe I would be better off back inside?!!

Before I knew it I was out on the street

Feeling there was no hope, defeated and beat.

Then, I found supported accommodation which gave me hope,

Pointed me in the right direction, something to aim for and learning to cope.

The one thing I have learned is never take for granted the roof over your head,

Because you never know when circumstances may change and lead you to having NO BED!