A letter recently arrived addressed to our current residents. It was sent by a former resident and reveals her experiences of homelessness and life at the Nightshelter.

She shares how she was helped and supported out of homelessness whilst staying with us. Her powerful words bring hope for people now living through homelessness.

Residents often arrive worried and anxious about finding themselves on our doorstep but as the words in this letter reveal – staying at the Nightshelter is often the beginning of the future rather than the last resort that they might imagine.

With the help of our community of supporters, we transform lives and help people to escape homelessness.

To All the Lovely Residents,

Hope you are all keeping well and safe in these uncertain, crazy days. I was fortunate, very fortunate to stay at the shelter last year for 10 weeks, and it was the best thing to happen to me, don’t think I would be here now, without there help and support. Mind you, when I first landed there, I thought I had hit rock bottom, did not want to stay, but over time things got better, and it became a family, and cried when I left. I have many happy memories of sitting with my new friends, catching up on our day, having a cuppa with Bob and Jon* in the morning before we went to work, and enjoying cheese and biscuits that Tracy the volunteer arranged on a Sunday afternoon.
I think a lot of my friends have moved onto new lives and pastures, wonder if we will ever meet again, small world, you never know. I am enjoying new hobbies, making cakes, wool crafts, just put a pic on a latchhook rug making website of a rug I made, got over 60 likes, people asking where I got it, I made it! Would never have discovered all this without the shelter’s help. It goes without saying I got a lot of help from family aswell, they were a light at the end of a dark tunnel.

Even now when I feel a bit sad, I walk through the shelter in my thoughts, and it comforts me, makes me smile.

Lots of love to all the amazing staff and volunteers, stay safe.
Rachel*
* names have been changed.
Letter from a former resident
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