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Originally from Birmingham, Ciaran moved to Northern Ireland to live with his partner. Soon after his move, the couple found out they were expecting their first baby and the strain of the unexpected arrival took its toll on both parties, which eventually led to the relationship breaking down and Ciarán being left with nowhere to live.

Donald became homeless at the age of 22, when his family home no longer became a safe and suitable living environment. Having nowhere to go he contacted Simon Community and we were able to provide temporary accommodation for him.

In 2019, Gavin, now aged 45, was referred to our Coleraine project after his mother asked him to leave the family home – a place that he had lived for all his life – as she was unable to cope with her son’s alcohol dependency. The transition to temporary accommodation was a traumatic experience for Gavin who not only had to adjust to living in shared accommodation but also had the worries of living away from the familiarities of his hometown.

Caolan left home when he was 18 without anywhere permanent to live, he spent the next two years sofa surfing at friends or family’s homes. After moving into his own place, Caolan’s home was broken into on numerous occasions, including two times when he was in the house which contributed towards serious challenges with mental health.

Christine was 56 years old when she became homeless. She had been in a long-term relationship which broke down after she suffered a sustained period of domestic violence.  Not having anywhere else to go, Christine turned to Simon Community for help and found a warm, safe bed and support at our Bond’s Hill hostel in Derry/Londonderry.

Sitting in a small flat in West Belfast chatting with a charming family, no one could ever imagine the stresses that Hanie felt the day she and her daughter fled her home and country.

No one knew that Philip was sleeping in his car. Not his two fond children, none of his loving wider family and caring friends. Even Philip didn’t know, as he stood on a motorway bridge, wondering whether he would take his own life that night.

Keith had it all. Wife, kids, a home, an exciting job as a chef and all that came with it. However, his perfect life came tumbling down one Christmas morning when, instead of opening presents as a family, his wife found him overdosed in the bathroom.

Before the death of her mum, Louise was a bubbly individual with a loving family, safe home and a talent for arts and crafts. However, after her life was turned upside down, she found herself quickly moving towards a dark place as poor mental health and addiction issues spiralled out of control.