Julies Story

 

I grew up in a small hamlet just outside Chelmsford in Essex.

I am from a hard-working family and growing up, material needs were always met even if emotional needs were a little neglected. Nonetheless I never wanted for anything. Food was always on the table and a comfortable bed to sleep in at night.

I was an ambitious youth and spent roughly 20 years working within the Investment Banking industry and related businesses in the City of London.

I then spent nearly 8 years living in Basel, Switzerland. 
 

6 years ago everything fell apart.

My father was found dead by the Police.
 

My response to this led to me having to return from Switzerland. Living in temporary accommodation with my daughter, we were made homeless by the local authority 3 times.

These events triggered a chronic mental illness from which I am still recovering. 
 

As my illness deteriorated I was deemed no longer able to look after my daughter. This was the final straw that led to me sleeping rough. For the next 18 months I was street homeless in London, Hastings, Cranbrook in Kent, Edinburgh and Chester.

I even tried to return to Switzerland to claim asylum as in my illness I believed there was a conspiracy against me in the UK involving politicians who had kidnapped my daughter. 

There is a lot more to the story, but I hope this helps you to know how mentally unwell I was while I was sleeping rough. I was not in my right mind. I was living in an alternate reality. I trusted no-one. All my decisions were made from a place of paranoia. I had lost all reason.

The one good thing to come out of trying to go back to Switzerland was finally finding out what was wrong with me.

I was sectioned (or the Swiss equivalent) and in the hospital I received my diagnosis – schizophrenia.

I could tell you a whole other story about my road to recovery but for now I want to focus on homelessness.

I returned to the UK with nothing. I was immediately at the mercy of the services here. I can honestly say that Edinburgh has been a warm hug after all the harsh realities that I've faced
over the last few years. I started attending a church in the city centre. It has been a great source of stability and, importantly, community.

I have made good friends at a drop-in centre in the New Town for people with mental health issues.
Living in bed & breakfast accommodation was tough. There were often few facilities and lots of restrictions.

Six months after I arrived in Edinburgh a room became available at CrossReach’s Cunningham House. Providence again.
CrossReach has met all my living requirements. I have cooking facilities and a TV room. There is 24-hour support and the freedom of no curfew.

CrossReach provided me with a Support Worker, who has been a huge help. I have regular meetings to see if I am on track in different areas of my life.

Most importantly, CrossReach have provided a stable base from which I have been able to begin to rebuild from the ashes of my life. Make no mistake my life was completely destroyed by my illness.
 

I can't stress enough how easy it is to become homeless - it has become an epidemic in the UK.
Every homeless person has a story to share. Each one completely unique. No two stories are the same and each are full of life's twists and turns which is what leads us to homelessness.
 

Usually there’s a series of events that are beyond our control. Family breakdown, unemployment,  addiction, sickness. These, and everything else besides, are what leads to homelessness. Beyond our control, so, not our fault. No-one deserves to be homeless especially in this day and age. No-one especially deserves to sleep on the streets.

We need organisations like CrossReach. I would tell anyone who needs the support of CrossReach that the way to get help is to engage with the service. That's your way out of your circumstances.