It’s been years since I have had a proper home. Years of sleeping on the streets, in winter shelters, or a few nights in a hostel when I can get together the cash. It’s not been a good situation. Still, I don’t feel any sadness. Do you know what I tell people? That I have a candle of hope and I’ve never let it go out. I know that with this training, I will be able to leave homelessness behind for good.
I was a window cleaner in Spain for a long time but after the economic crisis the business collapsed. I ran out of money, lost my flat and sold my car. All I wanted was to work - but with unemployment so high it was impossible to find a job in Spain. Two years ago I ended up in Dover without even enough money for a train ticket. I struggled to find permanent work suitable for my experience and abilities. Without an address, this was really tough. Yet I was determined that here I could turn things around.
I was referred to Beam and we discovered I had a skill that’s in high demand - an HGV licence to drive lorries. I just need to update my training and get some recent experience behind the wheel. With a couple of refresher courses, I can get back on the road. A steady job will change everything for me. With your support, the hope that I have carried for so long can finally become my reality.