David came to Horton’s Fairmount accommodation in Bradford in 2020. He had a drug addiction and was living on the streets, which led to a number of stays in prison. Through his time at Fairmount, David has focused on his recovery, rebuilding his relationship with his family and gaining his independence.
This is his story.
I was facing a lot of problems and didn’t think it was going to end. I was homeless for three years and it was so cold at times that I didn’t think I was going to survive. I would just wander around Bradford, keep my head down, take heroin and other drugs, and focus on where I could find my next meal.
I tried to find somewhere dry to shelter away from the open, so I began staying outside the entrances of Bradford’s shopping centre and a city centre gym. You are not allowed to do this so I would get caught out by the security teams and police and be sent to prison. I went to prison a total of eight times. Every time I was released, I would breach the rules when I was back on the streets and sent to prison again. My lengths of stay in prison were all short-term, ranging from a couple of months to 16 weeks.
The Homeless Outreach Partnership (HOP) team found me on the streets around 14 months before I moved into Fairmount. The team helped me with my housing benefit and referred me to local homeless shelters where I stayed for a couple of weeks. I also was able to access healthcare for my legs through Bevan. I had been on crutches for lacerated legs as I was attacked on the street. I had to have structural work done to my legs, which was painful. My mental health was also bad as I was experiencing PANDAS syndrome and would frighten other people around me with my shouting and swearing.
I moved into Fairmount when it opened in 2020. I feel lucky that I got a referral into this place. Fairmount staff are really nice and I’m thankful for their support. It took me a couple of years to adjust to life in Fairmount and to find a bit of normality with a routine. The way staff help you to manage your money is great as I am trusted by the staff to budget and pay for any of the repairs in my room, for food, and other bills myself. I also like that there is trust between staff and tenants here. I lost trust in people when I was on the streets and being attacked. Trust is big – without it I wouldn’t be sure what direction to take or what to do.
I like to go on the computer, watch films, listen to music and go on trips out with the other tenants and staff. I can cook – I used to be a second chef at a restaurant – so I sometimes help out at Fairmount’s Cook and Eat sessions. I’m also interested in helping out at Fairmount’s allotments when the weather gets better.
I have recently sponsored a donkey called Coco. He lives in Devon and I can see him via a webcam link. One day, I would like to visit him. Sponsorship is only a couple of pounds a month, but I want to donate more to Coco when I can to help him live a good life.
I’ve stopped taking heroin for the last six months and aim to cut drugs out of my life completely. I have relapsed every so often. Each time this happened I felt angry with myself as I knew that I had taken one step back from making progress. I’ve been finding the strength to be clean from drugs as it can be a challenge to live in a building with others who also had similar experiences to me.
I’ve reconnected with my sister who lives in France, and we regularly contact each other. I’m also hoping to see my parent’s again. My relationship with my dad suffered and he became upset with me when I lost tenancies and had been evicted from places in the past. When it feels right, my dad will travel with my mum to visit me.
I found things difficult the first few years here after spending time on the streets. I was upset before with no routine or normality in my life. I got lucky when HOPS found me and Fairmount has made a positive difference to my life. I feel happier, healthier and I’m eating better. The way I think has changed, my mental health has improved and I’ve calmed down a lot. I want something reasonable and secure in my life and to not get into trouble with the police. I also would like to get into a proper habit of budgeting and managing my money.
I hope to move to one of Fairmount’s dispersed properties in the local area, once things are sorted and I feel ready to live on my own.