“I’m 24 years old and I recently ran out of options of where to stay because I was drinking too much and it put a strain on my personal relationships. When I slept rough I felt scared and lonely, I ended up sleeping on a park bench at one point.

I couldn’t see a future for myself or the next steps to take. Luckily, a friend of mine told me to come to KCAH because they knew someone else who had been here before. When I first came to KCAH I was nervous, but I got a warm welcome and felt safe. All the staff were supportive. The first team I spoke to was the Housing Crisis Intervention Service (HCIS) where Dominika helped me a lot with looking at my situation as a whole, advising me on what next steps to take and filling out all the required forms; she even came to HSBC in Kingston with me and helped me to open a bank account.

I’ve stopped drinking and have attended a number of N.A. meetings with Paul from The Bridge. Hearing other people’s stories gives perspective on how strong people can be. I had a wellbeing check with David from Kingston Wellbeing Service on site at KCAH which included mental health check-up. Dominika referred me to the YMCA. For the first time, I’ve got my own place there. Dom even helped me apply for vouchers which allowed my bedding and kitchenware to get me started.

Kingston’s Big Sleep Out will be a great way to raise awareness of KCAH for people in the outside world who don’t always think about what the charity does, who comes here for help or what services it provides to people experiencing homelessness, just like I was.

Thanks to KCAH I’m feeling much more stable with my whole life ahead of me!”

“Born and raised in the UK, I suffered a severe accident in Vietnam that necessitated the amputation of my left leg below the knee. A subsequent stroke during my recovery from the surgery left me with lasting physical impairments. Upon my return to the UK, I faced housing crisis on top of my medical needs.

In this dire situation, Kingston Churches Action on Homelessness emerged as a beacon of hope. Michaela’s unwavering support was pivotal in me seeking housing services which was complicated by my working overseas for some years. Despite multiple setbacks along the path, the advice and support of KCAH’s Housing Crisis Intervention Service team was excellent.

The dedication and compassion of KCAH staff has enabled my current stability and success. As I continue to build upon the path of progress that KCAH helped me discover, I am reminded of the profound impact that individuals like Michaela can have. Her commitment to aiding those in crisis has not only helped me in my time of need but also inspired a sense of hope and determination to overcome any other obstacles I may face.

I’ve gone from sleeping on London buses to having my own place to call home and for that, I am eternally grateful. “

Sam spent 10 years sleeping rough and sofa surfing, during which time he fell seriously ill. He first approached KCAH in 2009 and now he’s safe in sheltered housing, thanks to our housing advisors and a very special person who came alongside to support him.

Sam came to the UK from Morocco in May 1975 under the UK Agency Immigration Scheme. He had a work permit, Green Book, Moroccan passport and all was legal and legitimate. In September 1978 he lost everything, including all of his documents, in a fire which destroyed the pub where he was working in Sussex. Sam did not have the funds to return to Morocco to replace the lost passport – a prerequisite to replacing the Home Office documents.

Sam continued to work as a chef for pay and accommodation and continued to pay his N.I. contributions and PAYE tax. In 2012 the Home Office became aware of Sam and declared him an illegal immigrant with no rights to remain or work in the UK. With no right to work as a chef, this meant he also lost his accommodation.

In need of help, Sam approached KCAH and the Late Rev’d Peter Holmes at St Peter’s Church. An application was made to the Home Office for his ‘right to remain in the UK. Unfortunately the application became a casualty of a set of controversial government policies, dubbed ‘Hostile Environment,’ introduced in 2012 by the then-Home Secretary, Theresa May, with the aim to make life difficult in the UK for immigrants who cannot show the right paperwork (these policies became synonymous with the Windrush Scandal).

Sam met Meryn at the Great Feast in 2013. Meryn says, “I first met Sam when he started volunteering at a weekly hot meal for rough sleepers at St Peter’s Church, where I was Church Warden. When the Home Office discovered he had no documentation he was threatened with deportation and ordered to stop working. As a result, he spent the next 8 years on the streets or sofa-surfing, which really took its toll. He lost a lot of weight and contracted TB and bowel cancer; it’s been an appalling time for him!

I guided him through two more applications to the Home Office and how to sign on to Job-Seekers, access health care, open a bank account, access the housing register and other complexities of living in a sophisticated society, where it’s easy to get lost and left behind. I’ve lost count of how many surgical procedures Sam’s had since they diagnosed cancer, but now he’s reasonably well.

In August 2016 Sam was granted ‘Limited Leave to Remain Outside the Rules’ (LOTR). This was a great relief, but by that time Sam was not well enough to work and was still homeless! He’s on the 10-year route to ‘permanent leave to remain’, but he has to apply four times every two and a half years. We’ll try again under the 20-year rule next year, and that could be successful. Thankfully, in December 2019 the Kingston Housing Department granted Sam semi-sheltered accommodation in a ground floor studio flat, with Wardens around the clock! It’s been a very long-winded process but now Sam couldn’t be in a better place – it’s brilliant!”