Last winter, Tom* was living in conditions no one should endure. His boiler was broken, his home was freezing, and he was surviving on just a small pizza each day. Severe mobility issues made day to day tasks almost impossible.

Everything began to change when he met Lizzy, one of our Older Homeless Service support workers. Tom had struggled to trust anyone enough to let them into his home, but, thankfully, Lizzy had earned it.

The first priority was heat. Our maintenance team repaired the boiler and plumbed in a washing machine, and we gathered him warm clothing, including a winter coat and a new cosy blanket, along with a food bank voucher and a basket of food in time for Christmas. Lizzy also sourced a care package from Besom, filled with kitchen and bedroom essentials, and began helping Tom tackle his house cleaning and hoarding, starting with the kitchen and hallway.

Alongside this, Louisa, our Mental Health Practitioner, provided emotional support and is helping him to get his finances in order. He has also joined her for short walks around the block, in time, increasing to a taxi journey to the building society together. These moments have helped Tom to gain some confidence going out, so much so that he has since been out to another appointment in a taxi on his own!

Louisa and Tom have been working on graded exposure therapy (a cognitive behavioural therapy technique used to help individuals overcome anxiety and fears by gradually exposing them to feared situations or objects in a controlled manner), which he appears to be making progress to get on top of his financial situation. He is also hopeful about reconnecting with his brother and daughter, who he has been estranged from.

With each visit, we see Tom take another step forward. And while his journey continues, we’ll be there every week, ensuring he has the care, encouragement, and opportunity to move towards a brighter, safer future.

For Tom, Cambridge Cyrenians have been his lifeline.

But we can only continue this work with your help.

Please consider making a donation today to help us be there for more people like Tom: Help people like Tom stay safe and warm this World Homeless Day – JustGiving

*Name changed to protect individuals’ privacy.