Testimonials

Thanks to the wonderful service you offer I am writing this sitting in my new flat. Something that I never thought possible, as the Council told me I was not considered vulnerable even though I was homeless, jobless, recently released from prison and in recovery from alcoholism.

I didn’t know what to do next, but I was aware that you helped people like me to get into accommodation and now less than 4 weeks after our first meeting I have got the flat. I was treated with respect and kindness, and never felt judged once.

I am a mother of a 27 year old son who has been through a lot of traumas in his life. Recently he became homeless and had only his car to sleep in. It was beyond my income to put down a deposit or even sign as a guarantor for him. The stress and anxiety all this caused us was devastating, until we were informed of HOMELINK.

]I’ve not seen my boy smile for such a long time and I don’t mean just his mouth smiling – his eyes now mirror his smile. You have given me back my faith in humanity. I cannot explain how much it has meant to us that my son has a roof over his head and a fresh start, and what amazing people you are to do this. You have given my son his dignity and independence back. I am forever in your debt.

I never thought that I would find myself at risk of homelessness – I have worked hard all my adult life, but mental health issues led me to finding myself without a job and in emergency accommodation, all in the space of 8 months. Slowly, I am putting my life back together.  Without HOMELINK I would almost certainly still be there, facing a minimum wait of 2 years for a place that I could call home.

The effect on my health is not something that I even want to consider. I was supported throughout, and they gave me the confidence to try and solve my own housing problems. My repayments are realistically set and affordable and I go to bed every night now, with the peace of mind that having my own home  – and my own front door – brings.

HOMELINK have been a saviour to me. I was living in a women’s refuge a long way from my children. I had maintained myself on state benefits without help from friends or family. Without HOMELINK’s help I wouldn’t have been able to move into a flat very near my children, and so to take up a job offer at East Sussex County Council.

HOMELINK are generous, kind and empathetic and actually listen to people who are in genuine need.

I am 59 and found myself in a situation which became so dark that I was close to suicide. I was close to homelessness. HOMELINK’s work is invaluable – they not only offered financial help, in my case they spoke words of encouragement and gave emotional help when I was in an intolerable state of mind. Pippa’s humanitarian attitude is without question so heartwarming. She has given me light at the end of the tunnel and a forward-looking outlook.

Without HOMELINK I’m sure I would have been on the streets. All my possessions including two cats would have gone forever. I feel honoured to write this testimonial.

After spending 10 years in prison I was released in November 2017 and was a resident in various Probation hostels for five months. I was referred to HOMELINK by my mentor Mark at Sussex Pathways. I don’t actually know if HOMELINK know what that loan meant to me, as without it I was on the verge of being recalled to prison because I was about to be made homeless from the Probation Hostel.

With your help I now have a lovely studio apartment, have settled in and am now able to slowly start to rebuild my life. I wish to thank everyone at HOMELINK for the help and support that I was given. I am a testament of how you are helping to change lives.