Richard I was working as a security guard and doing an HND in Engineering Design. But it was too much. I was working too hard and my marriage broke down. I had a nervous breakdown, dropped out of work and college, and moved to London. I had a delivery driver job for 8 months – until I had a crash on my bike and couldn’t work anymore. For a while I drifted, first back to Wales, then to London again. I met a woman and we moved to Hull and in 2006 she became pregnant and we had a son together, Jack. However, the relationship broke up, he was taken into foster care and now lives with my aunt. My life was out of control and I ended up in London, sleeping in St Martin’s night shelter. I started selling The Big Issue and after four months I got a place in a hostel called Passage House and spent eight months there. The Big Issue Foundation helped me get a new passport to use as ID. Then I moved into St Martin’s House in Clapham and started a course called Business Action on Homelessness (Ready for Work) and, with the help of The Big Issue Foundation’s Vendor Support Fund, got a Net Book computer and started to learn how to use it.
I had a passion for poetry and started writing. My poems have been published in a book – Poems of a Welshman – I do hope you like them.
My inspiration is not only to help myself but others in my position, and I want to try and set up an advice other homeless and vulnerable people. Eventually, I would like to get a secure tenancy and publish my poetry and autobiography. When I’m settled, I’d like to make contact with my children. That will be the day when my life will begin again.