Before coming into prison, Darren had been homeless for a long time and had lived in a tent in the woods. When he first met our community chaplain to find out about help with housing he became angry when he didn’t receive the answers he wanted.
On their second meeting, Darren apologised and explained his reaction: he had a drug dependency and wouldn’t be able to get his medication when he was released unless he had a permanent address. He was terrified of returning to life in a tent.
We contacted a church pastor who had supported Darren in the past, who met him at the prison gate when he was released, and who worked with the local authority to secure a flat for Darren. With a little help, he has been managing his flat tenancy well, and is now job hunting.