Finding Hope: How The Shrewsbury Ark Helped One Man Rebuild His Life

When Paul (not his real name) first found himself without a home, it wasn’t something he ever imagined would happen.“It really started during COVID,” he explains. “The lockdowns practically ruined my business, then I had a relationship breakdown, and my mental health took a big hit. By the end of COVID, I was kicked out of where I was living after falling out with my landlord. That’s where my homelessness started.”

Paul was first placed in a hotel, but that temporary fix didn’t last. “I spent eight months in a little car, then managed to get a slightly bigger one,” he recalls. “It took a year before the council verified me as homeless and that’s when my journey with The Ark began.”

At first, Paul was hesitant to reach out. “I was reluctant to come here because there’s a lot of stigma. I was embarrassed,” he admits. “But I’d been put in that situation, and once I came, I realised what a lifeline The Ark really is.”

Eventually, Paul lost his car too. “The day I lost my car, they put me in temporary housing. I was grateful for that – I had a roof over my head, heat, and even a little garden where I planted herbs and spring onions. I kept it clean and tidy and helped around the grounds. That was good for my mental health; it kept me busy.”

Even when he was in temporary housing, Paul continued to rely on The Shrewsbury Ark. “I still came here every day because I was struggling with money. The Ark helped me through that as well,” he says.

Unfortunately, things took another turn. “The council ended my funding and moved me somewhere I knew wouldn’t be good for me – around people with addictions and serious problems. I told them I’d struggle there, and I did. I ended up back on the streets, living in a tent in the woods for nearly a year.”

Life in the tent was hard – especially because Paul has diabetes. “If it wasn’t for The Ark, I wouldn’t have been able to wash. I would have been starving. My health would have got really bad. The Ark has been my saviour more than three times.”

Today, things are looking up.“I’m nearly six months into supported living now,” he says proudly. “Being away from certain situations has given me time to reflect. I’m determined to get back to where I wanted to be.”

Paul’s biggest motivation is his son. “The hardest part was being stopped from seeing him. It wasn’t because of drugs or my lifestyle – just a difficult personal situation. I couldn’t afford to go through court, and over time I just felt useless as a father. But my plan now is to get myself into a good, stable place and then take the right steps to get contact again.”

That goal is within reach. “I’ve kept up with all my payments, I keep the place spotless, and my support worker is helping me prepare a report for the council. Fingers crossed, this could be the start of the end of my homelessness – and the start of the next chapter of my life.”

Paul says his experience has changed how he sees others, too. “I’ve got a lot more understanding now of what it’s like for people who are struggling. The Ark is amazing – the team are understanding and empathetic. We need more people like that.”

When asked what might have happened if The Shrewsbury Ark hadn’t been there for him, Paul doesn’t hesitate.“I would have been dirty, hungry, and probably gone in a very different direction,” he admits. “I might have turned to crime just to survive. But thanks to The Ark, I didn’t have to. I could come in, wash, eat, and talk to people who cared. You could have looked at me and not even known I was homeless – that was down to them.”

Now, Paul is looking forward with hope. “If this place ever closed down, it would break my heart for the people still using it,” he says quietly. “Because The Ark really does save lives.”

To help keep the Ark afloat please consider becoming a friend of the Ark by making a small regular donation at https://cafdonate.cafonline.org/5608#!/DonationDetails