Stories

Darcy faces the frightening prospect of having her leg amputated, due to medical complications due to her long-term addiction to alcohol. However, now six months sober, Darcy is full of hope and positivity. Life has been hard for Darcy; she experienced abuse, loss, addiction and exploitation, yet has reached a point where she can reflect on what happened and move on, and is ready to tell her story.

After decades of self-neglect and periods of homelessness, David's life at Webster Court is much more settled

Steve had lost his tenancy in the community due to excessive noise and neighbour complaints, and had become homeless.

I have made some silly choices and some bad decisions

Sarah suffers from paranoid schizophrenia and alcoholism and has experienced a lifetime of abuse

Connor was drinking a lot and feeling low, but our team have helped boost his self-esteem and spark some hopes for the future.

David discovered yoga at Under 1 Roof and it has noticed a positive change in his anxiety levels and mental health.

Ian is 43 years old and has a history of being arrested for disorderly conduct; a behaviour pattern that was aggravated by long term homelessness, mental health problems and dependency issues.

Three years ago I had a big reality check. I found myself sitting in Norwich prison with a 12 month sentence - a fine mess!

When Ali first made contact with St Martins she stayed at the ‘Somewhere Safe to Stay Hub’ where she was given a bed for a few days. She moved on to Bishopbridge House where she was given her own bedroom and en-suite.

A traumatic childhood event sparked Kerry's drug addiction. She said,“I wish I had never taken drugs because they ruined my life..”

Phil had been homeless for 18 years and spent much of that time sleeping rough. A bad case of trench foot led Phil to finally accept a place in St Martins hostel.

Geoff, who is in his sixties, has been known to St Martins for at least 20 years. Over the years, Geoff circulated from the streets to hostels to prison, then back to the streets and it was a repeating cycle than seemed impossible to break.

Mike had a home and a job, but aged 56, he found himself rough sleeping on Castle Meadow in Norwich. With the help of the Pathways service, he is now getting his life back on track.

Staff obviously take an interest in Graham and are always on hand at Webster court to deal with communications about him, either in person, on the phone or by email.

If it wasn’t for St Martins I would of seriously been dead.

I got made homeless. I lost my house, my job, my family, my friends, my wife.

George, with the keys to their new flat in their hand, is ready to leave St. Martins, describing the moving out process as “like a whirlwind”.

Colin came to St Martins as a 40-year-old struggling with debt to the local council and dealers; he was in a vulnerable position and about to lose his tenancy and faced violent retribution for the money he owed on the streets.

Lucy’s behaviour included storming through the office whilst being aggressive towards staff, swearing at other residents and staff, walking into a busy road in front of cars and destruction of property at her accommodation. With patience and understanding, we can help Lucy to lead a better quality of life.

Whitney's story shows how support needs can fluctuate, that progress can be slow and steady, and by getting to know their clients well, the team know when to step in and help people maintain the progress they have made.

Nathan has a police tag on both legs – one to stop him drinking alcohol, and the other has a GPS tracker to stop him entering Thetford. He was released from prison two months ago and is living in St Martins hostel Bishopbridge House. Yet Nathan considers himself lucky.

My dad having a mental breakdown is a lot to do with my drug addiction and why I become homeless - he would end up being sectioned to mental hospitals and that’s why I ended up becoming homeless at 16 and not having anywhere to live.

After an affair, Alan's life changed completely and he ended up in hospital after heavy alcohol use. After 18 months in care homes & B&B's, he now lives at Webster Court where he has access to the care he needs.

Supporting people as they move on from our services is an absolute joy. Peter loves his new flat, he said, “I don’t plan on leaving here. You’d have to drag me out of here by my fingernails!”

Previously when things were bad, it always seemed to become ok again at some point. When I was sleeping rough that myth was busted. I had nothing, just a sleeping bag in a shop doorway next to another wine guzzler. It was the end!

Hussein has found people in Norwich to be kind. He said, “This is my city now.” St Martins has helped him to settle. He said, "If I didn't have St Martins I would go crazy!"

What’s the difference between someone who has a home and someone who’s homeless? “There’s no difference between us. We’ve just gone through a difficult rough patch”

“If it weren’t for you guys I would be either dead or living in my car.” In fact, Kirk slept in his car for three nights before he received support from St Martins and was given accommodation.

Ask for help – don’t bottle it up. Connect with a loved one. This advice is from Ricky, who currently lives in one of St Martins’ services. Ricky has been sober for nearly two years but has seen too many friends who he met on the street die from their addictions.

Out of options, Ricky endured several nights on the streets and resorted to begging. “I was cold, shivering, hungry. I didn’t know which way to turn,” he recounted.