Today, Alan lives in supported accommodation and is planning to start his own business—a dream that once felt out of reach. But just a year ago, his life looked very different.
Back then, Alan found himself homeless after spending eight weeks in a hostel. One day, he was told they could no longer keep him there; someone else needed the room. Just like that, he had nowhere to go.
The day before he had to leave, Alan bought a tent and a travel case, knowing he’d soon be sleeping outside. He returned to the hostel and began packing everything he owned, carefully sealing his clothes in plastic bags to keep them dry. The next
morning, he left Derby and headed to Chesterfield to meet with his offender manager—his probation officer. At the time, Alan was wearing both a GPS and alcohol monitoring tag. Ironically, the GPS tag was removed on the same day he became homeless.
His probation officer did his best to help. They spent hours together searching for accommodation, and he gave Alan a food bank voucher so he could get something to eat.
Alan spent the rest of that day in the library, staying warm until it closed. That evening, he found a quiet spot near the Ravenside Retail Park, beside the dual carriageway on Chatsworth Road, with the River Hipper flowing just behind. Without a sleeping bag, he used his carefully packed clothes to lie on through the night.
The next morning, Alan walked to Pathways to register as homeless and grabbed a rough sleepers’ breakfast. After explaining his situation, he was signposted to Chesterfield Borough Council to make his homelessness official in the system.
Later that night, he visited the soup kitchen at Grace Chapel, where a church-run charity called Church on the Bus provided hot meals and, thankfully, a sleeping bag. The volunteers were kind, genuinely interested in his story, and offered both food and support. He left that night with enough provisions to get by and returned to pitch his tent once more.
Over time, Alan settled into a routine. He spent his days in the library, keeping warm and staying close to his appointments. Throughout September, Pathways helped him arrange interviews with various housing associations.
Eventually, Alan was invited to attend Pathways’ Wellbeing Days—simple activities like games, art, and shared meals. That hot food meant more than he could express. It reminded him that he was still part of something. He even got involved in their December art exhibit, helping to complete a piece called “Bob.” These small moments began to rebuild his sense of purpose and self-worth.
As the nights grew colder, Alan invested in a four-season sleeping bag and a small gas camping stove so he could cook or make a hot drink. When SWEP (Severe Weather Emergency Protocol) was activated, he chose not to use it—he had a solid setup, and more importantly, all his support systems were in Chesterfield. P3 continued to check in on him, and he felt more prepared than most for the winter ahead.
Nearly three months passed living this way—rough sleeping, surviving. Despite the circumstances, Alan had created a small sense of stability. Then, out of the blue, he received a phone call from the housing association. They had a place for him.
He moved in the next day.
That moment—finally having a roof over his head—was overwhelming. Alan felt excitement, relief, and deep gratitude. He was finally home.