Mandy's story

BEACON LEEDS: securing new homes  

JANUARY can be a bit of a ‘downer’ for many. It’s cold, dark and often wet and windy. After the bright lights and sparkle of December and Christmas, it’s something of an anti-climax.

For Mandy* it was to be the month the bottom fell out of her world.

Thanks to her partner’s gambling, getting into debt and hiding it from her, she had just lost her home. Out of the blue it had been repossessed. Her partner hadn’t told her and had hidden all the paperwork.

Mandy had no time to arrange different accommodation. Her partner had disappeared and she had no one to turn to – her partner had gradually isolated her from family and friends she would previously had asked for support.

It was -3 degrees. Through no fault of her own, Mandy was homeless, jobless and penniless. She was sleeping in her car overnight at a local shopping centre and scavenging food from the bins.

Fortunately, her luck was to change. She was discovered one morning by one of Turning Lives Around’s support workers. They brought her inside, assessed her and supported her into TLA’s accommodation Francis House, part of the Beacon Leeds service that TLA delivers in partnership with Touchstone and Foundation for those who are homeless with multiple disadvantages.

Beacon staff also helped Mandy navigate the benefits system and apply for the correct financial support. They encouraged her to renew contact with her family and friends. They helped her apply for and secure her own tenancy for a local authority property where she lives today.

* Client names and images may have been changed to protect their privacy. Thank you for your understanding.