Steven Farrell
London has always been my home but
I’ve been through a lot in this city – both good and bad. I was born in
Chelsea and grew up in the area with a stable life. I fitted into working life well
with a job working for Social Services. I was good at my job and it wasn’t
long before I was a Social Services Manager, specialising in empowerment work and
advocacy.
My life was good and I could return home after a hard days
work to my comfortable flat in Chelsea. I got married and had two wonderful
children. We moved to Dover and continued to have a normal happy life.
Things changed in 2000/2001. By May 2001, at the age of 36, my marriage had
broken down. I found it very hard to be away from my children especially and it
wasn’t long before I had no home, let alone a family. I was sleeping rough,
initially in a cemetery and I soon found myself sleeping on the streets of towns
and cities all over the country – London, Brighton and Canterbury to name but
a few.
Three years ago is when I started to try and put my life back
together. I joined The Big Issue, initially just selling the magazine. Over the
next two years my self-confidence and belief that I would turn things around
gradually came back to me, as I had the stabilising influence of selling the
magazine to draw on. I became a Big Issue Vendor Coordinator, responsible for
managing pitches in London and at the same time engaged with The Big Issue
Foundation who really helped in addressing my other needs, such as housing.
By October 2005 The Foundation had helped me get my own place. I spent last
Christmas back in my own home in the area where I grew up, South West London.
I’ll continue to be a Vendor Coordinator in the hope that others will see
that it isn’t impossible to get off the streets with a little
help.
Challenge Events
The Big Night Walk
01st October 2010
FRIDAY 1ST OCTOBER SMALL STEPS BIG CHANGES On the 1st October 2010 London will be host to the seco...
The Virgin London Marathon 2011
24th April 2011
A massive thank you and congratulations to all of our 2010 runners! You can now count yourselves as ...
