Chester Aid To The Homeless

Meyrick Crawford

I have been at CATH for 18 months.  I When I arrived here I was rough, depressed and suicidal due to the loss of my parents and because of this I self harmed badly.  When I came to the day centre I wondered what I let myself in for, I was surrounded by people with severe drug and alcohol problems.  I saw Ron when I arrived and was assessed and got a room in Crispin House immediately.  I them met John the Education Manager and he started to put me on a programme of activities.  I started volunteering in the Clwyd Special Riding Centre and it just snow balled from there. Then I signed up on other courses, like the confidence and communications course.  By doing all these activities has really changed life, it makes me more confident to go out, I was doing stuff I had never done before like, bread making, working as a art therapist volunteer, art and crafts, appearing in a performance at an AGM, litter picking for CWAC and working with retired people at Kingfisher House Retirement Home.   I think if there wasn’t any of these activities I think I would have just continued to self harm, maybe drank more and more, I wouldn’t be where I am now for sure.  Now I am 100% better, so much happier in me.  I now feel I am a valuable member of society.

Stephen Hood

It’s been 12 months since walking the streets and getting a bed in Crispin House.  I was homeless because of a marriage breakdown, my wife left me to be with somebody else, for a while I was ok, my job kept me stable…then things started to slip, work suffered and I started to drink and isolate myself.  I thought I had failed. A friend suggested I needed to go to hospital; they kept me in under observation because I had suicidal thoughts.  I was then referred to HTC.  I was given a bed in Crispin House and was told about the Education upstairs at HTC, it was there I met John Buchanan.  John helped me link up with courses at TNG and NACRO and more importantly I started working as a volunteer.  As I have a building background I really enjoyed the work at Clwyd Special Riding Centre, it gave me a chance to use my skills.  John also got me involved in art classes and other volunteer initiatives such as working for CWAC, Community Day Service andKingfisher Court.  When I first arrived I was very low in esteem with no self worth or value, not knowing which way to turn.   In a period of 12months I built up my confidence, self belief and my purpose in life.  I now have moved into my own flat after a life changing 12 months.  I still work as a volunteer for CATH and will continue to do so because the work is so important.  Maybe I can inspire other people.