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Guest Interviews

Michele interviewed a number of guests who have stayed with us in the past few months and here are their interesting and varied comments, spoken and written:

How did you come to be here at the Winchester Churches Nightshelter?

“I have been of no fixed abode since 1994 and moved from place to place.   After a particularly bad start to the year I have decided to make a go of it in Winchester and make a go of my life against all the obstacles that I feel I face in my average day.   I have been and still am studying and trying to better myself, I am now determined to make a go of it myself”

“I was in an engineering job, and suffered from osteoarthritis.   I am having problems with my health that just seems to have got worse.   At work I was unable to lift, and my work was being affected.   I just didn’t get the work any more and since I was self employed my income dried up.  I started drinking, and became more and more depressed.   I have been and done AA.   I have a dog but am missing him as well as he can not come to the Nightshelter but I have friends looking after him.   After 18 years of marriage, my wife could not cope, and I was suffering physically and mentally.  I left my wife and family and left them the home.   I lost my house and children at the same time”

“Drugs, drink and infidelity led me to your door.   I was married, with a daughter, and owned 2 profitable businesses.   I have been to NA and AA, I was back on cocaine, I  lost my wife, my home and my daughter and have been living in a car.   I wanted my daughter to have a roof over her head and so I did not try and get a share of my house from my wife I just gave it to her.”

“I had been in a relationship, but was about to be evicted for rent arrears.   My partner had dealt with all the bills when we were together, I didn’t have anything to do with finances then.   I walked out of my relationship with what I am standing up in now.   I gradually got into debt without really realising there was a problem at all.    In my profession it is difficult to get back into any work when you have no address, I really want to work but it is so difficult to find”

“My mum wanted me to get married, with an arranged marriage when I was 16.   I had a very violent upbringing, I got beaten, I remember the pain and the belts and buckles that hit me. An argument about a hair band has changed my whole life, and the resulting incident ended up with my being taken to court by my own mother and sister, and was not allowed home, I left home when I was 15.   The council housed me until I was 18 and then I lost all my funding and my accommodation.   I was out on the streets, I even had my trainers stolen off me at knife point one night.   It was horrible, being attacked by drunks.   I left London and walked into a church in Guildford and they suggested I go to the Nightshelter in Winchester and here I am”

How did we help you during your stay here at the Nightshelter?

“Floating support have helped to put pressure on the Council and hopefully improve my chances of moving into other more permanent accommodation.”

“ The staff and floating support have helped to strengthen my initiative and resolve and have helped to get me back on my feet which I don’t think I could of done on my own.   They have pointed my in the right direction.   I want to try and gain full time work with a steady income to support my own accommodation”.

“the staff and helpers have gone out of their way to make me feel like a wanted and useful part of the community.   With their help and support I am now actively seeking employment and attending interviews to re-enter mainstream of society.   You have built my confidence, given me time to think, reminded me of the support available, and put me in touch with those who could assist me in job/life hunting”

“There are people willing to help others no matter what their background and do not judge or miss judge.  The shelter has given me a safe haven to rest up and assess my situation whilst keeping me warm and well fed and clean.   It has also given me the opportunity to take up and look at other opportunities that I may wish to take up.   If it was not for the Nightshelter in retrospect with my mental state on arrival I don’t know where I would be now”

“It really helps me to be breathalysed on the door every night, and it helps to keep me sober during the day.   It is brilliant here, I didn’t think I would last 7 hours, but I am now the most stable that I have been for five years.   I really think you should test for drugs on a more regular basis.   Floating Support staff are nothing but helpful.   It has given me a big time chance to stabilise, I am now a different person and I have changed back to being me”

“Floating support and the Nightshelter are helping me cope with my debts, and helping me find sources of accommodation.   I need another 3 more points to get nearer the top of the housing lists.   With no address I am unable to even get a bus pass for which I am eligible for.   The Nightshelter has really given me a stable base from which to try and sort myself out”

“It is the best place I have ever been in, it has given me a stop off point, and chance to gather myself together.   I hope very soon to get another job and get back to where I belong"