Less than 10 years ago, Martin was homeless and sleeping rough in the city of Bristol. Today, he runs a successful waste collection company, and has raised over £600 for St Mungo’s.
“Homelessness was very upsetting and confusing because you haven’t got a home to go to.
Through the day you don’t know what to do with yourself apart from trying to find the next place to set up for the night. All you think about is having a roof over your head, warm shower, a nice cosy bed and a home cooked dinner.”
Martin founded his waste collection company Martin’s Waste Solutions in 2014 by purchasing his first van with a loan. Since then the business has expanded to operate six vans and now employs a team of sixteen. The company conducts domestic and business waste removal services across an ever-expanding list of towns and regions across the South West, including Bristol, Bath, Swindon, Gloucester, Cirencester, Stroud and Cheltenham, in counting.
In an effort to support others who may find themselves homeless, he and his team have now come up with a scheme through which his company donates £1 to St Mungo’s for every waste collection it makes.
To date, the company has already donated more than £600 to St Mungo’s and is set to exceed its target of £5,000 within a year. The company also have ideas about how they might work alongside St Mungo’s in the future to provide training and employment opportunities for people recovering from homelessness.
“We chose St Mungo’s because they are a well-known homelessness charity in Bristol. I love what they do, including looking for people on the streets and offering them accommodation, giving people opportunities to get out of the situation they are in. The main thing is they give people a second chance and a helping hand.”
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