Rough sleeper reunited with his kids
Meet Nathan, who came to Shiloh as a rough sleeper looking for some help to get back on his feet. Following a relationship breakdown, Nathan found himself out of a home, separated from his kids and sleeping in a tent. Nathan says that he has always managed to get by and look after himself, but he just couldn’t find a way out of his situation until he came to Shiloh.
Come to Shiloh! I’ve told a few people to just get down here and get a meal, they’ll sort you out.”
What was your situation when you first visited Shiloh?
“I was in a bit of a state, everything had gone wrong. I was sleeping rough, I had no work, no benefits. I’d been living in a tent for 7 months.”
What support did Shiloh give you?
“Shiloh gave me everything! When I first came they gave me hot food and I go to use the laundry, I also got food parcels, clothes and a sleeping bag. I also met a council worker at Shiloh and they’ve got me into temporary accommodation – so no more tent! Phil, one of Shiloh’s volunteers helped sort my benefits out, he was great, he even came back to help me on his day off! They also signed me up for a cooking class in their kitchen with Rotherham College which was fun.”
How do you feel now?
“100% better. I’d still be in a tent if it wasn’t for Shiloh. I’ve always managed to get by, but Shiloh has made my life a hell of a lot easier. Now I’ve got a flat, I can now get access to my kids, which was all I wanted. I get to pick them up from school now which is amazing.”
What’s next for you?
“I’ve got a bidding number for a council house and am getting some help to bid on properties. I’m a landscape gardener by trade, so I’m just trying to get back on my feet so that I can get some work. I’ll try and save up for a van and get back into gardening.”
What would you say to anyone in Rotherham in a similar situation to you?
“Come to Shiloh! I’ve told a few people to just get down here and get a meal, they’ll sort you out.”
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Shiloh is more than just a place to come for food and basic needs. Our staff and volunteers are on hand to support people towards independent living. We have a number of different support agencies based at our building, which makes it easier to quickly resolve issues.
Please consider supporting our Homeless at Christmas appeal so that we can continue to offer services to help people like Nathan.
