(upbeat music) - This is the Rural Homelessness Podcast where we discuss the important issues around rural homelessness, hear from those affected by it, and offer some solutions. Brought to you by the award-winning Homelessness Charity, The Fairy Project. Welcome to the Rural Homelessness Podcast. Welcome to this episode of the Rural Homelessness Podcast. I'm your host, Matt McCleary. And thank you so much for clicking over here today to have a listen to our show. Now, today we are going to be speaking to Ed, who has quite some story to tell. But before that, I just want to thank you for liking and sharing and commenting about the podcast and the different episodes we've had up until this point. It's really important and it's vital if we are to get the story of rural homelessness being spoken about more around the nation and also increasing understanding and awareness of what rural homelessness is and some of the challenges faced by those who experienced it. So thank you, thank you for playing your part. Thank you for making a difference by liking, by sharing, by reposting these episodes. So please continue to do that because we believe passionately that rural homelessness is important and that it's something that we should know more about and be talking more about. Now, as I said, we'll be speaking to Ed today and he has experienced homelessness for himself. So here is Ed telling his story. Welcome to the podcast, Ed. Could you tell us what was life like before you came to The Ferry Project? Life for me was very differently. Being homeless, being in prison, it was completely different 'cause you didn't know you've never had a chance to move on with your life. I always thought I'd be in a circle of crying, homelessness, and then obviously I came to The Ferry. And what kind of life circumstances led to that sort of cycle of homelessness and crime? When I was with a girl, obviously the relationship broke down and obviously her mom kicked me out and then it just like, I don't want to be homeless. So I done the crime to be put into prison just so I had a river in my head. So I'll give three males a day. Had people I talked to. If we're in the honestly, you've got no one. It's really down on your own. And that's why I'm grateful for the things that I've done while I've got, you know. It is tough being homeless and it really is. 'Cause you've got a thing for yourself. You've got to feed yourself. You've got to try and get money just to feed yourself. You've got to try and find somewhere to wash your clothes, to have a shower. And that's not easy. That's not easy. To some people just don't know. So they say anything you want to drink or you want to have drugs. But in my case, that's completely different. That's completely different. I think that's why I went to prison now. Just so I can have a feed. So I can wash my clothes. So I can have a shower. That's. And a bed to sleep in. Like basically I'm not a cop for you. Not a comfort, but it was tough at sleep up instead of sleeping on the floor. I think when I was in prison, I think the first drug, and I was put in matters on the floor, 'cause that's what I was used to. It's what I was actually used to sleep on the floor. And then in the end I thought, now I've gone back on the bed. So I put it back on the bed. Could you describe what a typical day for you would have been like, so when you were homeless, what might, you know, a course of a day involve for you? Usually just waking up, sitting, sitting there, hoping people give you this change or bring you food out. And then literally just go back to sleep. That's literally the whole. That's the typical day, 'cause you have no money to go anywhere. You have no money to go and get new stuff or don't get this or that way you need. You have no money to go and have a shower or anywhere. So that was the typical day just waking up. Hopefully people give you money and food. I was lucky to eat that, 'cause when I woke up under my sleeping bag, there was like 20 quid and change. So I was like, people just kept walking past, just putting change under that. Which was quite good. So I have enough money to go and get a McDonald's and a shower and have about it. And that was basically the money literally got within. We were in 10 minutes, 20 minutes. So yeah, that was tough. - And how did you feel during this time? - I felt bad. I felt like my mental health went downhill. I felt like killing myself, trying to end my life quite a few times. And in the end, the police had enough of it. They literally put me in a hotel. 'Cause they didn't want a death on their hands. So they helped me. But yeah, I didn't even stay in a hotel. I was just stayed on the streets. 'Cause that's what I used to at the time. Where I got put everywhere I got put, I was always back on that street. 'Cause that's where I was. That's what I was used to. That was my life at the time. - Once you were in prison then, did you start to get the help and support that you were looking for? - Yeah. - Yeah, they've done put me on any depressants. I was starting to get into mental health. I was starting to get help from CACs 22. I was getting all the help that I need. Got my gut job in there. So I got the help that I needed for the homelessness when I was in prison. Didn't cross my mind at all. But what the end thing that worried me is if I had a family somewhere after I left prison? - Just about to ask when you left prison. - Yeah. - Was it like, you know, well, your time is up, you're back on the streets again? Or did that happen to you? Or at what point? - No, and you find the ferry project. What happened then? - When I came out probation put me into the IBC in Cambridge. And I was there for two weeks. And then I was there, they moved me to the Rosencrown, which then I was there for about, which is a beach. Yeah, which is a beach. And then obviously, about three months after that, I got a referral to the ferry project. So I was having me in the food here. Got accepted, got put in here. But then obviously I made this stupid mistake for me and out, go a little bit of a couple of people that I knew, and obviously that didn't work out of age. It was supposed to, so I obviously come back to the ferry. - And what did it feel like when you first came to the ferry project that it took time to get used to the new environment? Or, you know, what was that experience like for you? - It got you, I bought you, well, it was hard to sell it 'cause I didn't know routine, didn't know the rules. I didn't know what time you had to be in and out. I didn't know any of that, so it was kind of like, because I was putting you in, well, you had the right thing, but you didn't have the time to be a bed. You didn't have the time to go to sleep, or you didn't have the time to be in your cell. You had to be in your cell by seven. So obviously, that was tough. So I had that, but then coming here is kind of like, what time does Gates open, what time do I share, what time? - It was a different day, it was different. - Yeah, yeah, it was definitely, 'cause I knew nobody here, this way, nobody. The only people I knew was a couple of them start. I remember, that was it. So I didn't know no one, so I had to get to know people. - That was hard. - Age, yeah. When you've been on your own, so normal, when you have no one talk to, like in the only place I had no one, I was on my own. In the roads and roads, I had no one. Going through that spoke to me is when the staff, when I went down to get some of it like a pizza, 'cause that was, it's very pizza place as well. So, you know, staring tight. But, apart from right now, I spoke to me, so coming here was different, yeah. But, going through that spoke to me was the staff. You know, and that was tough. It was the hardest part of my life that I had to get used to, how to make sacrifice falls. You know, and it has been tough, you know. - I mean, I know some of your story already, and I can see how you've turned your life around, which we'll be coming to look at in a little bit. But, how has the ferry project helped you and over this type? - For the last two and a half years, they helped me, my mental health got really bad again. They helped me with that. They helped me get courses. They sort out of fitness rush time. But, one of the staff members here, they sort out of my biogen, fine, with a bloke. And, so, obviously, I've done that, I know the fitness with him. Done the course with him. Food safety, I've done all the courses with that. I've done quite a lot of courses. That's how they helped me through my mental health issues. They've helped me through the problems. They've helped me through a lot of stuff that I feel for, and which is good, which is why, I think it's why I wouldn't pass my hand today because of it. - What would you say are some of your highlights? Since coming to the ferry project so far, what are you most proud of during your journey? - Well, the most proud of mine is getting to know some staff members. And when they was letting me go and train them and build a model, our lollistic, which I was trying to build a football round, which never worked out. It went right off the halfway, and then it took a two-hour web rock. I was kind of on the steering wheel with them. And, just, in general, it's not being as bad as I thought it would be. You know, Dave? - So, it's more the relationships you've made. - Yeah, they've always done it. They've always done it, they've always done it. - They've always done it to listen. But the highlight says when I can get the cook food, that's the highlight because off-cooked food that I would never cook before in my life. - Okay. - So, it's kind of like-- - Right. - Get 'cause the cook's quite good. So, she teaches us how to cook a last bath. It's quite good, which is quite good. - Wonderful. No, really, really good, really good. Let's just speak, generally, for a moment, rather than your specific story, where you'd be sharing with us this fantastic thing, for that it's been really interesting. But, but generally speaking, do you think there are misconceptions out there about homelessness and about the people who experience homelessness, like people's thoughts towards those, towards homeless people? - Yeah, I do. Yeah. Well, I care what you do. I think people are homeless, not 'cause of their own, well, some of them are homeless because they're all, but other than. And the homelessness is a public. So, in certain ones, turn on their side. Turn on, and that's, in my opinion, shouldn't it? You should help. Or give them something like food or junk, or give them their money so they don't give food. Don't tell any noise about homelessness. Because one day, it could be you. - When you work, when you work, are homeless. - You mentioned that some of the attitudes towards, towards you were very negative. Were there any positives? Did you have any, did you have any highlights or compassion showing where some people? - Yeah. - Yeah. I was very, I sat outside this. South side, I'd never be shot. And next to it was like KFC, and then the other side was Burger King and stuff like that. - Oh, you found a good spot. (laughing) - Pretty much. And this lady, this lady, I don't think there was a lady or a girl, I'm not sure. Actually, yeah, this girl come up to me. She goes, "There's some bears, some food in the drink." It's like, "Thank you." So, you know, it was like a big walker burger and chip, and a milkshake, it's like, "Fang." And then the other side, this lady walked out with a KFC burger, I thought, "Cool." I had my turn on the tea. - Yeah. (laughing) - But yeah, there was some, and then people just stuck down on each other with me, after I was honing this and stuff, so I explained all that good, and they just felt, they fell upset, because obviously, there was no help before. There was no help at the minute. - Did it help you that some people were interested enough to ask you to tell them your story? - Yeah, yeah. I generally think, "There's this old couple." And I was sat there with my... All I had was my sleeping bag, and just a couple of bits of money that people kept giving me. But people put it in a pot, or I didn't open it in my pocket, 'cause people around there, they're asking people, "Yeah, I mean, people's money." So, and these old districts, these old couple came up and made... Oh, the animals, so I explained it all to them, and they went, "Wow, they were young, oh wait, yeah." I went, "You shouldn't be having this one." That's a choice. Oh, and it wasn't a choice that I had. I made it off it. This just happened. And they obviously took me and got coffee, and had a chat, and I was grateful for it, and really was... - What would you like people to know about homelessness and those who experience it? - I would want people to listen. I want people to take more time with homeless people. What people would come and see what the ferry project does. I want people to know the story and the people's stories. I want people to understand homelessness and their choice. Some people make a choice. I did make a choice. I had no choice. And I would just want people to know what it's like. If they could go put them in one, emotionally for one day to be homeless, then they can see it's very complete, different in their life. Because it is completely different. You know, that's the hardest part. That's the hardest part. But I wouldn't go back up being homeless in a way. Because what I've got now is... Friends are a ferry, but ferry has actually helped me get into a better place, a better place. You know. - Yeah, that's great. Speaking of what life is like now, what is your life like now? - I am below my life. Now I was looking back. I bought a one-bed bongo from the ferry. And yeah, I got pills to pay back in wheel. - Yeah, but life today, life now is... It's good. It's not just the ferry that helped me, I think. For example, the person in the sky actually helped as well. He was, I think he was like the guy in Angel. Oh God, he helped as well. And you know, there's a lot of people that's helped me to get to where I am today. You know, probation, football, ground, stuff at the football here. A lot of people have helped to help me get to where I am. And that's a good thing, it's... It's offered that I can always be proud of with how far I have come after everything I've been through. But then I was very good at it. So, you know, getting to where I am today would run in place. It's not a bad thing, it's actually a good thing. It's one of the best things I could ever have helped, if I could feel in the map. - That's really good. What are your hopes for the future? What's next for you? - What's next for me is to get a job, to get a good, settled life. Obviously I've got a partner, she's been wonderful, she's been there for me every step in my journey. Hopefully stay where I am, but yeah, my future, I would rather all get a job back than the next day in the first. I've got difficult qualifications, so it's just finding that right job when my mental health's better and when I'm ready to find a job. I'm going to doctors tell me I'm allowed to job. - Yeah. - At the minute they will let me try to get out. Good night. But yeah, now, get a job and just sell. - Yeah, that's great. Can you sum up how the ferry project has helped you and what difference has it made in your life? - I last made a lot of difference to be fair, and when I first came here, I was a bit wary of it because obviously I didn't make the rules and stuff, but then as time went on, I wasn't well-behaving off of that kind. Like for the last, for the first six months I went well-behaving, I got warning after warning after warning and mental health then went downhill, and then they've helped me through that, and then after I just settled in this was doing everything I can for on tiering and going through the art class, which I'm going to go to after this. CDL's helped me get off the drinking drugs as well. The ferry's actually helped me do that as well, so yeah, they've done a lot for me. You know, and they should be proud of what they've done for me to help me get through what I've got for because I hadn't been for that. I probably wouldn't be sitting here doing my podcast now. I wouldn't be doing, I wouldn't be sitting here doing it to you, wouldn't be doing it to anyone. I've been there somewhere because that's how bad the amount of costs, but they actually helped me get through it. They helped me get, they gave me a chance, and I took out a chance with open arms. They gave me a chance and I bungled it. That's what I've done. So you have to, once you get a chance, take it, because you want to get another chance, and I know you have for a fact. For this is my last chance of having a happy life. Yeah, and if the ferry's done well for me, they've done well enough. They gave me a chance and I took it with both hands. That's wonderful. Well, thank you so much, Ed, for sharing your story with us today. I've been fascinated by it and touched by it, and I'm sure our listeners have been as well. So thank you for joining us. Well, that was Ed sharing his story with us. I hope that you enjoyed listening to it as much as I did when I chatted with him. And just for your information, Ed is not his real name. He asked us to use a different name to help protect his anonymity. So that is what we did there. So thank you so much for listening. Don't forget the Rural Homeless's podcast comes out twice a month. So that's on the first and on the 15th of every month. So I do hope to have the pleasure of your company again as I chat with more people about the topic of rural homelessness. It's a really important one. So please keep sharing this podcast with those who you think will find it interesting, who will find it challenging and who knows. Together, we can make a difference for those experiencing rural homelessness in the UK today. Thank you for listening and goodbye. Thank you for listening to the Rural Homelessness podcast brought to you by The Ferry Project. Visit our website on www.fairyproject.org.uk www.fairyproject.org.uk (dramatic music) (gentle music)
