Freya's story: "With Porchlight's help I was able to find a home"

After coming out of a bad relationship, Freya and her children became homeless.

Watch Freya's story in her own words and see how with the right support it is possible to turn things around even when everything seems desperate.

I had to leave

Me and my children were made homeless and placed into temporary accommodation. The place was dirty, damp all up the walls, stains across the bed. My children told me they didn’t feel safe there and I didn’t feel safe. Thinking of the emotional wellbeing of myself and my children, I had to leave.

Then we had to stay on my friend’s floor. That was a difficult time. Everything was up in the air and to make things worse we had to say goodbye to our cats.

Crisis point

From there I had a complete breakdown. Everything was falling apart, past traumas rushed back to me. It was overwhelming and I was at crisis point.

I couldn’t turn to my mum or dad for support. I lost my dad in 2008, and my mum has always had her own issues around mental health.

Even though I felt so awful and lost, I had no interest in carrying on the chain of inherited and genetic issues I’d always been surrounded by. It was my opportunity to break the mould for the boys and I.

Early years intervention put me in touch with Aspirations, one of Porchlight's services.

When Matt came to do my first interview, I was pieces of a person. I was teary, emotional and scared. It was a dark place and I didn't know where that was going to go. It felt like there was no way out.

Moving forward

Aspirations were able to help me with a Wellness Recovery and Action Plan course and for the first time I felt like it was ok to be myself.

They helped me get back to me. I felt once again that I had some sense of control over my life. They made me realise it’s ok not to be ok all the time.

The journey has been long and hard but I really feel like the person I’ve become is unrecognisable compared to before.

I was able to work with the council to find a home. Me and the children moved in to our current home which is not dirty or damp. And we got our cats back.

I am so grateful for Aspirations. I dread to think what the outcome would have been without them.

To feel a zest and enthusiasm for life again is amazing. It’s getting easier to spot the positives and now when things go wrong, I know that something better will be on the way.

My children are doing so brilliantly too, despite everything they’ve been through. They are thriving and there’s no better feeling in the world as a mum. They are, and will always be, the most important thing to me.