Tracey became a client with St Mungo’s three years ago, when sustaining a tenancy had become a challenge. But beyond accommodation and healthcare support, Tracey has also rediscovered a love of creative writing while staying at our service – here she tells her story.
Finding safety and stability at St Mungo’s
A few years back I had a flat in Hammersmith and things went pear shaped – I let people in who I shouldn’t have let in, and I ended my tenancy. The same thing happened in my next home and the whole building got closed down. I went to a service where I told them I didn’t have anywhere to go – I was being offered a B&B. They told me about a St Mungo’s accommodation, and I knew other people who had lived here. I’ve been here for three years now, and we’re thinking of me moving on at some point.
Since being with St Mungo’s, I’ve been helped to access the dentist, someone here comes to different health appointments with me, I see the nurse every Thursday who I can go to and see if I think something is wrong. They’ve all been very helpful. I’ve had a few painful episodes, and I have a scan coming up, which the team are helping me with.
I feel secure here. I’ve had some bad experiences and St Mungo’s has encouraged me to not give up. I’ll never forget the support I’ve got, it’s been so good. Support during and after situations – even still today. My key worker has helped me let my guard down too.
Getting involved with creative sessions
There’s lots more on offer here. I go along to creative writing sessions, which are run by Neil who volunteers for St Mungo’s. I tend to write poems which I enjoy doing. Sometimes things happen in life, and I don’t know why, but I get the urge to write about it. If it comes into my brain, I just write.
One time at the end of a session, I read out a poem and everyone started clapping! I felt embarrassed after, but it was nice to get good feedback, and some of my poems have been in the Homeless Diamonds magazine.
Writing definitely helps to calm me. My mind can feel like a pressure cooker, building things up. I write a poem and the pressure is released, like I’m letting off some steam – in a nice way.
Whatever I write about, I just think about that. I write a first draft, a ‘pilot’ as I call it, and then I re-write and make any changes and try to get it to rhyme. Only twice I’ve needed to Google ‘what rhymes with so and so’!. But I like that it makes me think on my own – it can’t be pre planned.
St Mungo’s are also kindly paying for me to take part in a pottery course, which I’m starting in a couple of weeks. I tried it in school many years ago. It’s good to just have a go and try these things.
Hopes for the future
We’ve talked about me moving on and I would like to live in sheltered accommodation, where I know I will feel secure. I’d like to live somewhere where there’s support nearby if I need it. I want to carry on with my writing too.
When I sit here and look back, there really are a lot of things which are offered to me. My friend sometimes visits me and says coming here feels like a break for her – which I think says a lot about what it’s like at St Mungo’s.
