Janey Swanson speaks to the charity helping homeless people to restart their lives
Dean lost everything he had in a house fire, but a local charity helped him get back on track. Janey Swanson finds out more.
ON Friday, March 13, 2020, Dean’s home burned to the ground, leaving him homeless and penniless.
“I lost everything,” Dean, who lives in Elmbridge, Surrey, recalls. “All I had in the world were the clothes on my back.”
Dean contacted a relative to ask if he could have a bed for a night or two, but with rumours of an impending lockdown rife, the answer was a very apologetic no.
“For the first time in my life, I was homeless,” Dean says.
“I slept in a tent by the River Thames for several nights and spent a couple of weeks sleeping in night shelters in local churches,” Dean continues, explaining that, having lost his home, he also lost his job.
“It was just one blow after another. There were times when I felt as though I were in a film. This couldn’t possibly be happening to me.”
Dean asked his local authority if he could be given accommodation, but as a single man with no dependants, he was told he was low on the priority list for housing.
“Thankfully, the housing officer I spoke to referred me to Rentstart, a local charity which helps single people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
“The team at Rentstart were amazing. They arranged for me to move into temporary shared accommodation, which was a massive relief.
“As I was no longer earning, I had to apply for benefits, which, due to lockdown, had to be done online.
“At the age of fifty-four, I’d never even been on the internet, but a member of the Rentstart team showed me how to use a computer and helped me successfully apply for Universal Credit.”
As the first lockdown came into place, Rentstart made deliveries of foodbank parcels to people like Dean, who were more likely to struggle to buy food.
“In the months after the fire, Rentstart was a lifeline to me,” Dean says.
One of Rentstart’s main aims is to help people who are homeless move into a place of their own, and in February 2021, Dean was given the keys to a bedsit.
“When I was told I was getting my own house, I didn’t stop smiling for a week.” Dean laughs.
“At last I had a fixed abode.
“Although I was only too happy to live with other people when I was in temporary accommodation, it was wonderful to have my living space to myself.
“I had my own newly decorated kitchen, bathroom and bedroom/ lounge.
“I once again had my own front door, which helped me feel safe and secure for the first time since I’d watched my house burn down.
“Also, having a permanent address made it easier to apply for jobs.
“I’ve not managed to find a new job yet, but in the meantime I’m volunteering at the local church.
“It’s good to be able to help other people, especially after all the assistance I was given at my time of need.
“I’m so appreciative of all the help, support and encouragement Rentstart has given me. There should be a Rentstart in every town.
“I feel so positive about my life now. Just over a year ago, I had nothing and didn’t have a clue what was going to happen.
“Now, thanks to Rentstart, I have a home I love – and a future.”
Find out more at www.rentstart.org, or call 01372 477167. ■
“I go to Rentstart for a few hours every week to welcome the guys, help them with paperwork, feed them, wash their clothes – and simply to talk and to listen,” Anna, one of Rentstart’s volunteers, says.
“By helping them move into a home of their own, Rentstart changes the lives of people who are homeless.
“However, this very worthwhile charity’s not just about housing the homeless. It’s about being there for people who have lost everything and helping them to rebuild their shattered lives.”