“Knowing that I’ve got this nice, safe place to come back to gives me a great feeling of contentment. That feeling of being able to sit in silence – no telly or radio on or not on the phone or anything, and just being grateful and happy; content with the four walls. It’s something that I didn’t often have through the years.

I was homeless a few times. Life was a lot crazier. Every day was like being in a war zone with myself and with the world around me. I had no sense of security or calmness. Chaos just ensued every day and the places where I was staying weren’t in any way conducive towards getting better.

Moving in here, and having the stability of it, was a great, big feeling of relief. It was like a door was after closing behind me – in a good way. Closing off the past, closing off the madness and the misery. And that opening up ahead was the possibility of being secure and safe. I had a homely feeling about the place from the get-go.

My life has slowly built to where I’m now able to deal with the ups and downs of life in a level headed way without things spiralling out of control.

My mental health is stable now and has been for a good few years. I’ve been able to work through the addiction – I’m five years sober. I’m able to meet people, meet the neighbours and have a bit of banter with them. For the first time in my life, I can finally immerse myself in this lovely community, in the town where I live, as opposed to being an outsider.

I’ve got a job in a training centre as a support worker for people on the ADHD spectrum, and people with acquired brain injury. I love it. I feel proud in the mornings walking or cycling down to work, knowing that I’m out and about doing something, and all the luckier because it brings a smile to my face. I would never have believed it all those years ago when I moved in here that I’d be able to give my time or involve myself in a generous, helpful way.

I got a second life when I got this place through Simon – a life I never had all along. A sense of purpose, a sense of worth and security. It’s more than just walls and a roof. Simon has my back. I’m able to journey through whatever the world throws at me knowing that I’ve got that security behind me.

It’s such a change from living out of a rucksack; from walking the streets with no security for the night ahead; from having no future, no dream, no lust or zest for life or anything. I’m looking forward to the future now with great anticipation, expectation and excitement.

And I love it…it’s like, yeah, my hobby is living. And that’s all from moving in here.”