Content warning: this article contains references to suicide and self-harm It’s been ten years since I last tried to end my life. Each year the anniversary of that day, my “survivaversary” creeps up and reminds me of what happened that day. I’ve written about it at length trying to make sense of it all and […]

This report talks about substance use          “When I meet new people after successfully getting my daughter out of the care system I mention nothing about my past as I don’t want to be a negative label and if I do have a label stamped on me, I’m hoping it says MOTHER” […]

In this his piece Charlie talks about the way that the loss of community has been exacerbated by our use of technology and the pandemic, and wonders if the answer to our isolation may be there in the past.  Well here we are. The end of the pandemic is in sight (hopefully). So back to the […]

This is the fifth part of the Those Who Help series, the previous parts can be found here, here, here and here Hello everyone. It’s John Chico. I am back again with another edition of Those Who Help, in which I talk about charitable people, groups, and organisations who aid people in Coventry who are facing socioeconomic […]

Transcript The attitudes in Britain are ‘me, me, me’. And what we need, what we need desperately is ‘us, us, us’. We have to unite as a community, as a society again, if anyone is being genuine now about change. There cannot be silo thinking anymore, there can’t be a, ‘Oh, well we’re the housing […]

People with experience of homelessness are almost always inaccurately depicted throughout all media platforms. Stereotypes of homelessness are perpetuated in the media more than anything. News outlets, for one, too often take the humanity out of the information they provide.    This project enables me to feel, listen to and be part of drive for […]

So, as the budget looms ever closer, a reliable source has leaked a tax grab that blew me away when I heard it. In order to get more social housing built and in circulation, why not add a 1% tax onto EXISTING social housing rents… to pay for new homes. That’s correct. Those who may already be financially vulnerable, you […]

By Claire With doing volunteering with the #HealthNow with Crisis I did learn a bit about it. And for me, basically, if they can get everyone in a time of crisis like this with the Covid – and they can basically pull out all the stops and make sure that people have got a roof […]

“Never mind the homeless, lets get a new football ground”. This report came about from a random conversation I had with a support worker. A borough councils football club had an outdated football ground and were facing going into administration. The local council had the bright idea to give them £10.25m loan to buy a […]

Hello everyone. It’s John Chico here with you again. So today I will be starting a new series called Those Who Help, in which I will write about people, groups, and organisations that provide social services in some type of way shape or form. I certainly believe that groups such as this need more exposure […]

As I start to write this, I have to check myself with the theme of the piece – who……… 🤔 For context, I live with two voices, one called ‘temptation’, the other I refer to as ‘magpie’ and they both chat at every/any opportunity they get, depending on what is happening for me, right there […]

In this piece Paul talks about the effectiveness of the arts as a means of communicating the stories and experiences of people with lived experience of homelessness, creating a visceral connection with the audience that is immediately visible.   Transcription of audio: It is bank holiday, Monday 31st 2021. It’s been an interesting week, a theatrical […]

Content warning: this report discusses addiction to alcohol I start this by saying each person’s recovery is different, yet has the same common aim, to stop the desperation we experienced, yet what works for one doesn’t mean it’s right for everyone. I spent years lying…….to family, drugs and alcohol services, the GP’s, the A&E staff […]

Hi, it’s Karen here. I just want to share how I’m feeling at this moment in time with everything that’s going on. These riots, these marches, whatever you want to call them, it’s making me feel quite depressed, anxious, and I’m quite frightened, to be honest. I’m quite frightened to go out, and I’m frightened […]