Harry first came to The Connection after being referred by an outreach team while sleeping rough. Like many people experiencing homelessness, he was living with constant instability and relying on day-to-day survival.

For Harry, having somewhere safe to come during the day has made a real difference. He describes relying on The Connection for “food” and “really basic support” — essentials that become incredibly difficult to access when you are homeless.

Although Harry spoke openly about the frustrations and barriers people can face while trying to rebuild their lives, he also highlighted the importance of compassionate staff who continue to support him. He praised workers including Hazel and Anna, saying it is “a good group of staff” that keeps him coming back for support.

Harry’s story reflects the complexity of homelessness. Many people sleeping rough are dealing not only with the trauma of life on the streets, but also exhaustion, mistrust, poor mental health and the overwhelming challenge of navigating services while trying to survive. Even accessing something as simple as replacing ID documents or applying for work can feel impossible without support.

Services like ours provide a vital lifeline — offering practical support, trusted relationships and somewhere people can turn to when they have nowhere else to go. With support from donors, more people like Harry can continue to access safety, dignity and help to move forwards.