I moved on from Emmaus Hertfordshire to a flat in Batford, Wheathampstead at the end of June, after having lived in the community for nearly 18 years.
I joined Emmaus in August 2008 and it’s been a great community to be part of. Some of my best memories haven been doing the gardening with volunteer Kate, which I found enjoyable, and it was lovely seeing everything grow after planting things from seed or from seedlings in the polytunnel. Kate has been a great teacher and knows so much about gardening, I’ve learnt a lot from her.
Great memories
The garden was so peaceful and I spent a lot of time outdoors watching the wildlife such as the birds and squirrels. Another project I enjoyed was making a bug hotel to protect the resident insects and also making a wormery to produce fertiliser for the garden, which I called Wormwood Scrubs!
Other great memories include playing with the pugs Lottie, Lili and Fig that belonged to the former Operations Manager Lin. They would always be walking around and loved some strokes, as well as a few doggy treats! I also loved making a fuss of Merlin, our support worker Jarrod’s lovely labrador who often visited too.
I’m originally from Hillingdon, Hayes, it was a horrible place – I just jumped on a bus and didn’t go back and I never want to. They weren’t very nice people, and I don’t have good memories of growing up there.
Living on the streets
I had nowhere to live so I became homeless and was living on the streets for about seven or eight years which was tough, but I had to cope, I had no other option. In 2002 I was asked by the police to move on and I asked them where to. They took me in the police car, and I heard the officer talking on the radio to someone and thought I’d end up in a police station for the night. I thought, “at least it will be warm”, but then they dropped me off at a night shelter called Open Door and warned me that if they saw me outside again, it will be the police station next time! I was at Open Door for a month and they referred me to the YMCA in Watford where I lived for two years. I was then referred to a place called 64 Rickmansworth Road, run by the New Hope Trust, a Christian charity. I enjoyed it there and was there for about three or four months. They recommended Emmaus and I came for a visit. I thought “this is alright”.
I’ve had good fun here – I enjoyed going out on the vans in my early days doing collections when I first met Frank – I enjoyed working with him on the vans, that was probably my favourite job. More recently I did housekeeping duties in the community such as cleaning the toilets, mopping the floor and hoovering. Sometimes the toilets got blocked and whereas other people might have avoided dealing with it, I used to get stuck in – after all someone had to do it!
Apart from some issues with bills (an energy bill debt relating to the previous tenant), I’m settling in alright into my flat. I showed the support worker here the letters I’d got from the energy company, and she is helping me to sort it all out.
Still part of the community
I’m enjoying having my own place, I’ve got a picture of one of my favourite band’s The Jam on the fridge. I’m really into my music – I also like The Levellers when they first started, The Wedding Present and punk and indie bands such as Half Man Half Biscuit and The Smiths.
I still go to the Royston Social Club in St Albans on the train and meet up with friends to see some great live bands. I also go to the Plough and Harrow in Harpenden which also has live bands.
I still do some gardening volunteering at Emmaus St Albans once a week and see Kate and the companions which is good. I also join the team for the weekly walking football sessions run by Herts Sports Partnership at Cotlandswick Leisure Centre in London Colney.
I live opposite a nature reserve in a conservation area which I’d like to get involved with. They meet on the first Sunday of every month, so I might do some volunteering with them. My new neighbourhood is very quiet and peaceful – the teenagers are very well behaved where I live and there’s never any trouble which is the way I like it!