Our residents moving on to independent living is one of the most rewarding moments for the team here at Jimmy’s and we wanted to share with you one of those stories.
Despite a difficult upbringing during which Eddie* lost a parent to due to an overdose of prescription medication, he grew up to be a hard-working adult and found himself in a loving relationship. Sadly, the breakdown of this relationship in his 20s was the beginning of a very difficult period of Eddie’s life, and he found himself in a world of substance abuse and petty crime in order to survive.
A well-known face at Jimmy’s over the last decade, Eddie had had several stays in the hostel. He was known to have spent time in prison and was a regular drug user.
At 56, his body experiencing the toll of 30 years of substance abuse, Eddie was offered temporary accommodation at Jimmy’s complex needs centre so he could convalesce after a hospital stay.
This time things seemed to fall into place and Eddie finally started to make some incredible breakthroughs with his substance abuse. He then accepted a more permanent room to continue the positive journey he was embarking on..
“Thank you so much for your help and encouragement over these last 15 months. If I hadn’t got into here [Jimmy’s], my life would be totally different, if not gone.”
This brings us to now, where just weeks ago the team at Jimmy’s were able to say their farewells to Eddie as he moved into a permanent one bedroom flat. A flat the Jimmy’s team helped him apply for, furnish and supported him to learn the day to day skills he’ll need to live an independent life.
“As for the flat, I have nothing but love for the chance, I will not let you, myself down or Monty [Eddie’s dog]).”
As with all our residents, our door is always open if they want to pop in and say hi. Eddie’s heartfelt thank you letter came with a P.S. – “I’ll be over Sunday for the roast!!”
Eddie’s story and many others like it can only happen because of the ongoing support of people like you. We want to take this opportunity to say THANK YOU, on behalf of all the Jimmy’s team and people like Eddie.
But, whilst these stories are brilliant, we know only too well that there are countless other individuals who are experiencing homelessness and need our help.
Earlier this year Cambridge Council** shared some worrying facts about rough sleeping.
- Homelessness has always been an issue for Cambridge, but the problem is worsening and is expected to continue to do so.
- The growing pressures are due to a combination of factors, particularly the cost of living crisis and the growing shortage of private sector accommodation.
- A number of new initiatives have been implemented over recent years to try to prevent and tackle rough sleeping. Further measures are being put in place, with targeted support provided for people with multiple and complex needs. Although again, the current financial climate could also contribute to a further increase in the number of rough sleepers going forwards.
As we head into Winter, we know the need reaches its peak.
What can you do?
There are a number of ways you can help people experiencing homelessness this Winter.
- Donate here today so that Jimmy’s has funds to support those who would otherwise be sleeping rough this Winter.
- Start a collection. Download our Wishlist here and collect important items to keep our residents going this Winter.
- Volunteer your time: help cook or serve a meal, collect generously donated items or help to keep our stores stocked up and tidy.
If you have any questions about Jimmy’s or the ways in which you can help please contact us.
Thank you for all your kindness, help and support.