Dale’s story

Dale was born in Leicester but his parents moved to Australia in 1973. He started getting in trouble when he was a teenager, drugs and shoplifting, and ended up in jail.

Because he wasn’t born in Australia, Dale got deported to the UK. “The last time I saw my mum, brother and sister was when they came to see me off. I didn’t get to see my dad. That was in 2008.”

I landed in London two days before Christmas. I started off working in a pub, but I became homeless when it shut down. Then I got a job at a fruit and veg stall. The bosses there were good. I owe them a lot.

They were nice people and they gave me a lot of opportunities, but I fell back into the drugs. So I lost my job there, then I was homeless again, started shoplifting again, and it was just a constant cycle: back to jail, then out on the streets, shoplifting again, back to jail.

Sometimes I slept in the park, sometimes at a shopping centre in Fulham Broadway. Sleeping rough was worst in winter.

Growing up in Australia – I’d never seen snow until I came here. I can remember waking up one morning and I was half covered in snow.

Even with the weather though I think the hardest part of sleeping rough was having a drug addiction and having to find a way of getting the money for the drugs. I had tried to quit a few times before but I just couldn’t stay focused. Using drugs was what I was used to, I mean, it’s something that I’d done for most of my life, since I was 19. I used it as a coping mechanism. I hated heroin but it was also my best friend. It was there for me when I needed it.

It was hard, especially with missing my family. I had a few times when I was really down. I tried to kill myself once, but I’m glad I didn’t succeed.

I picked up stained glass work when I was in jail, back in Australia. Doing my glasswork keeps me busy and takes my, mind off things. It’s nice to have something I’m proud of at the end of it.

Dale hit a turning point and decided to get in touch with the St Mungo’s outreach team at Market Lane.

I think it was a Sunday – I woke up first thing in the morning. I was on a methadone programme to help me withdraw from my addiction. Even so, I’d normally be up looking for a way to buy heroin. But that morning I didn’t feel sick like I usually did. I went back to sleep until the afternoon and I didn’t score any drugs that day. And I thought, this isn’t too bad. I can do it if I want to do it.

I feel a lot of gratitude for St Mungo’s. It’s an amazing organisation. The staff have got a passion to help people no matter what our problems are, and they don’t judge or look down on anyone.

Soon after that I got in touch with the St Mungo’s outreach team at Market Lane. They helped me to do a few things, like I stopped shoplifting. Then I got offered the place here at the Hope Gardens Hostel. It’s nice here. There is 24 hour support so there’s always someone around if you need to talk. The staff are really cool. They seem like they really want to help, they’re not just here for the job.

I’m focusing a lot on my artwork at the moment. I picked up stained glass work when I was in jail, back in Australia.

Doing my glasswork keeps me busy and takes my, mind off things. It’s nice to have something I’m proud of at the end of it. Sometimes I have sessions with Sophia, the art therapist who comes in once a week. So I get to talk about a few things in my head, instead of bottling them up.

I feel a lot of gratitude for St Mungo’s. It’s an amazing organisation. The staff have got a passion to help people no matter what our problems are, and they don’t judge or look down on anyone. I’m glad that I finally get to show my family back in Australia that I’m trying, and I’m doing something right.  The future’s looking bright if I just put my head to it.

Interested in reading more of our client’s stories? Read Paul’s story next here.

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