"My dad died in prison when I was 15 and then my mum met another fella and we didn’t really get on. I think it was when I was 16 and they kicked me out because it was getting too much. We kept fighting and that is how I became homeless really. I spent about 4 years on the streets from there."

"I knew about Culvery Court but didn’t know it was run by Threshold. I found out about Threshold through CGL, when I last became homeless. They told me about the Old Apple Yard, which was at the time a Substance Misuse Rehabilitation project so they referred me to Threshold about 2 years ago. After the Old Apple Yard, I moved in one of the Move-on Project."

"Apprehensive, I think it’s only because of all the formalities, you know getting all my benefits sorted out, the Waterboard, the electric so I am a bit apprehensive about all that stuff. I am not so much worried about furniture as I have got most of it now. I need to get my white goods carpets mainly and that’s it, everything else I am almost done."

"Mostly what I have taken away from Threshold is time to recuperate, time to gather my thoughts, get my bearings straight. My recovery had to come first, you know what I mean, and the Old Apple Yard was the foundation for that. I think once I had done the Apple Yard and moved into a Move-on project, I had already grown. I took quite a bit from the GOAL's* . I gained confidence, I have been able to do my poetry standing up in front of people and that took some balls."

*Gaining Opportunities and Living Skills

"Still at this moment, I still don’t know, because until I have surgery on my knee done, I am not going to be able to do anything. I do want to work in the drug recovery field. I am not too sure when that is going to happen or how it’s going to happen. Maybe through CGL but with some voluntary work or maybe even do a Health and Safety course first, just to see how things go." We are wishing Matty all the best for the future!