In 2016, Tracy’s brother became homeless and ended up staying at CENS for several weeks. While he was here, he managed to stop using hard drugs and began engaging with us. He moved into supported living accommodation and was on the right track to start over.
Giving a little
A few years ago, Tracy contacted us to say that her brother had passed away, and that she had asked people from the funeral to donate to CENS. She brought the cheque in to us and spoke to a staff member who remembered her brother and how much of a fun-loving presence he’d had while here.
Tracy has been donating a few pounds every month ever since. While it may not seem a lot to some larger charities, it means an awful lot to us.
CENS stopped me worrying
“My brother was a lovely man but had his challenges and caused me a lot of worry over the years.
“When he came to the shelter, it was the first time in months I didn’t have to fret about where he was sleeping. I knew he had a bed and a warm meal. He told me he liked the structure of the place, and that the staff were all kind to him – I wish he could have seen what we all saw in him.
“When he told me he was moving into supported accommodation, I was so happy. He had somewhere secure to live with no threat of being turfed out by a landlord. He’d proved time and time again that he couldn’t manage a tenancy properly and really needed support with his mental health.”
Looking around
“When I came back to visit after his funeral, staff showed me around the shelter. I was really impressed with the facilities. I wanted to show how grateful I am for the help you gave my brother so I decided then and there I’d start donating monthly.
“I like the fact I’m invited to the annual general meeting and that I receive the newsletter. I feel like I’m included in the CENS community. I took part in the March 4 CENS challenge earlier in the year which was really good fun!”
If you’d like to join our community of donors, please visit here: https://cens4homeless.org.uk/donate/
