Dean's story
Dean became homeless just over four years ago after his relationship broke down. Forced to leave his home, separated from his partner and daughter, depressed and totally alone Dean started drinking heavily. He found himself in the cemetery where his grandmother was buried.
Dean slept rough in that churchyard for 19 months. He had no-where else to go:
"I spent Christmas on my own in the cemetery with only a crate of beer for company. It was horrendous."
It was when Dean had an inexplicable urge to leave the churchyard that St Mungo's outreach team found him:
"I walked from Forest Hill to London Bridge, stopping at shops along the way to buy more alcohol. I don't know why I went there - I could just hear a voice in my head telling me I needed to get to London Bridge.
It was 10.30pm when I arrived. I was sitting in the street. Two St Mungo's workers asked me if I was homeless. They immediately got me into St Mungo's Emergency Shelter."
Dean was quickly moved into one of our hostels, where he started to recover from his experiences and deal with his alcohol addiction. He had been so inspired by the St Mungo's worker who first helped him that, with our support, he decided to do a GNVQ qualification in working with vulnerable adults:
"Seeing my daughter, getting my own home and becoming an outreach worker to help other homeless people became my dream."
Dean's journey of recovery did not happen overnight. St Mungo's helped him to go through detox whilst we kept his place at the hostel safe for him. After he had successfully completed the programme, we asked him to attend our relationship workshops run in conjunction with Relate. The workshops have helped him to get back in touch and rebuild his relationship with his daughter.
Dean moved into his own flat a year ago now:
"I spent my first Christmas in my flat with my dog, Petal, last year. It was out of this world - the best Christmas that I could ever have wished for. This Christmas will be the same. It's just me and Petal on Christmas Day and then my daughter is coming on Boxing Day.
I'll always remember spending Christmas on the street and in the hostel. The hostel was good - the 52 of us had an amazing dinner and all of the staff ought us presents. I got socks and toiletries. But nothing compares to Christmas in your own home.
With St Mungo's help all of my dreams have now come true. I see my daughter regularly, have my own flat and, this week, I am starting my new job as an outreach worker in Lambeth. Things really couldn't be better.
Thank you to all St Mungo's supporters who have made this possible for me."