Putting down roots: Fred's story

When we first met Fred, he was homeless and had struggled for years with alcohol misuse. As such, he was offered a place in one of our supported dry-houses, which meant that he had a safe place to live and the help he needed to stay abstinent from alcohol.

However, after four years in the house he was still there and didn’t want to move on. Supported dry-houses are not intended to be permanent accommodation but a stepping stone to a fulfilling and independent life, so we wanted to help him get into his own place.

Fred had an idea of where he wanted to eventually live, so our first step was to help him move to a different supported house closer to that place. It took a while, but he did find the courage to make that move, which was a big step for him. From there, we were able to work with Fred through Home Turf Lettings (our social lettings agency) to find him a flat that he could afford and be happy in.

It took a while, but we thought it was important to help Fred develop roots in a community and spread his wings. Now, while he is still feeling some trepidation about his new independence, he’s looking forward to getting back to work and building his life.