A man has shared his remarkable story of going from being homeless seven years ago to running a company that employs 18 people. Martin O'Rourke from Bristol found himself sleeping rough after his relationship broke down and he lost his job.
Martin and his now wife would sleep in their car before spending six months staying in a tent that they would pitch in quiet areas around the outskirts of Bristol.
"It was a really upsetting time," the 32-year-old said in quotes reported by Bristol Live. "It rained once and, as the tent was very old, it was not waterproof so we just woke up in a puddle. It was not great at all.
“To try to keep warm, we had two sleeping bags but they would always get soaked. It was horrible, we were cold all the time.
"Food-wise, we would try and go over to relatives who would cook for us, but had no room for us to stay. I remember being miserable, not knowing where our next home would be.
"When you are in that situation, you do not think of your mental health - your main focus is getting fed, staying warm and maybe where you are going to get a shower. You are trying to get whatever you can whenever you can.
"Homelessness was very upsetting and confusing because you haven’t got a home to go to. Through the day you don’t know what to do with yourself apart from trying to find the next place to set up for the night. All you think about is having a roof over your head, warm shower, a nice cosy bed and a home cooked dinner."
After speaking to Citizens Advice, Martin borrowed £500 from a credit union which he used to buy a van. After three months he had made enough money to get somewhere to live and eventually set up his company.
Martin's Waste Solutions now employs 18 people, has an office and seven vans. The company conducts domestic and business waste removal services across the south west of England, and is giving £1 to homelessness charity St Mungo's for every waste collection it makes.
"St Mungo's is a well-known charity in Bristol and everyone knows who they are," he said. "They offer wrap-around, long-term support for people recovering from homelessness.
"I would encourage anyone to get in touch with them. I love what they do, including looking for people on the streets and offering them accommodation, giving people opportunities to get out of the situation they are in. The main thing is they give people a second chance and a helping hand.”
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