Mates at St. Aldate’s: Homeless Seniors Find A Home and Hope
By Tommy Cloherty

For several years now, HOPE worldwide – United Kingdom’s Two Step program has been referring retired men and women to Anchor Retirement Housing Association, an organization, which has properties all over the UK. One scheme in particular – St. Aldate’s Court in Luton, is home to no fewer than four men, sent by Two Step, who were previously homeless in London. Two of these, Leon and Jack, are featured here.

Leon (62)
Leon had been homeless since December 2007, when the relatives he’d been staying with asked him to leave. Despite being on painkillers for his back problems, Leon was found intentionally homeless and told he was not eligible for council housing.

He was referred to Two Step and stayed with friends while his application for retirement housing was being processed. He found this very difficult due to his back problems, with all the travelling around and sleeping on floors and couches. He finally moved into his studio flat in April this year.

This is what Leon says: “Life at Anchor is OK, quiet compared to London. The facilities are great. I have lived all my life in London, so I’ve had to adapt. I was thinking at first to stay here a while and then apply for a transfer back to London, but I’ll probably stay here now, it’s only half an hour from the city, and it’s nice to get away from the mad world there. I’m very grateful for HOPE worldwide, they gave me a roof over my head and for that, I’m thankful."
            
Jack (68)
Originally from the Philippines, Jack became homeless after a divorce two years ago. He had stayed for some months with his daughter, but the accommodation she was in was too overcrowded, and he left in March 2007.

Jack knew he needed to find his own place but didn’t know where to start. He suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure, so the stress and moving around from place to place were having an adverse effect on his physical health.

He was told about Two Step by a church member, and was invited to the office for an interview the next day. He was assisted in sorting out his old age pension, and an application was made at Anchor Housing. During the interview, Jack said that he’d go wherever he was sent by Two Step, because he could see they were good people who would help him and he trusted them.

In record time, his application was processed and in less than two weeks, Jack had his own front door key in his hand for the first time in over two years!

He loves his new home, and says: “It’s very good here, I’m very, very happy. When I was homeless, I felt like rubbish, I was always worrying about what would happen to me and I was afraid I’d end up sleeping by the side of the road somewhere. My family put me out in the middle of the night because I couldn’t pay enough to support them” – at the time, Jack was working a couple of shifts in a restaurant, unaware of his entitlement to pension credits, and had next to no money coming in.

Jack has also been assigned a volunteer mentor through HOPE worldwide’s Moving On mentoring program, and is looking forward to the future “If it wasn’t for HOPE worldwide, I wouldn’t be here. The future looks much better than before.”

Leon and Jack are now very good friends.

Tony - Manager of St. Aldate’s Court
“When I see people like Jack and Leon, I see that it could so easily be me in their situation. If we can put ourselves in their place for a moment and see what HOPE worldwide does as an organization, you know it is so worthwhile. SO worthwhile!

I saw a homeless man at Waterloo station recently when I was visiting London with my wife. It was a rainy, cold day and he’d clearly found something that could give him artificial company in a bottle he was drinking from. But my heart really went out to him; because I knew that he might have some comfort for a few hours, but later he’d sober up and the problems and everything else he felt would still be there. I could feel that he had a need that has to be met by people who understand and can help, which is why I would urge people to support projects like this which help put people back on track.

Leon and Jack are both good guys, it’s nice to have them around. You’ve got the real thing with them, that’s what I like about them. It’s a privilege to have them here. Having known HOPE worldwide for some time now, I think you’re doing such a good job, it’s such a blessing. When Leon first came here, he looked me right in the eye and said, 'I won’t let you down,' and I know he won’t because he’s so grateful.

I urge donors and well-wishers to help organizations like HOPE worldwide as much as possible, because being homeless is no joke and can easily happen to any one of us.”

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