In 2010, Darryl was going through a rough patch. He had lost his job and though he was living with his partner, it was becoming ever clearer that their relationship was coming to an end. When things finally drew to a close and with no regular income to speak of, Darryl had to turn to his friends for somewhere to stay. For a while he did the rounds, going from couch to couch, but there’s something a bit different about couch surfing when you’re in your mid 30’s and your friends’ house is now a family home, complete with a wife, 2 kids and a dog.

He began to run out of places to stay until, finally, he had just one last friend to turn to. Darryl stayed with this friend for a little while longer before it was made clear that there was no room left at the inn. Darryl left his friends’ house for the last time with £200 to his name and headed into the streets of Manchester, from which he would not return for 6 months.

 

He asked some lads who paid for their rooms at the hostel by selling the Big Issue, if they knew anywhere warm to stay. They took Darryl under their wing and in February 2010 Darryl spent his first night on the streets under a railway bridge. It was freezing cold - but at least out of the wind - right in the centre of Manchester.

 Weeks turned into months and Darryl’s mental health began to decline dramatically. He became engulfed by depression and began to seriously contemplate suicide. Many of the homeless people he found himself around used drugs and alcohol as some form of escape from the extremely harsh conditions they were faced with. He very nearly succumbed to the alluring option of a little relief, a few times, but as he witnessed the rapid deterioration of his peers’ health, it became very clear that the long-term price was much higher than the short-term gain.

His saving grace, his motivation and inspiration that there was hope, came in the form of a cup of hot soup, brought to him by an outreach worker one bitterly cold night. He clung to this hope, this belief that he could get out of this situation. He became more street smart and found abandoned buildings to sleep in, while relying on soup kitchens or the charitable nature of others for sustenance.

Around 6 months later while begging, Darryl saw an old family friend. Ashamed, he tried to hide away, but the friend saw him. He was shocked to hear Darryl’s tale. He took Darryl for a meal and a haircut, then together, they discussed everything that had happened. The friend offered Darryl some work on his construction site and Darryl took it without hesitation. After a few months work, Darryl managed to get back on his feet and is now the Founder and Director of Middleton community trust, which has been a registered charity since 2011.

Middleton Community Trust is run through a building in Oldham, in which can be found a food bank, a clothes bank and a yoga studio. Darryl has tried to provide 3 basic human needs: something to eat, clothes on your back and a way to deal with mental health problems, as yoga is known for. The yoga teacher also offers advice about diet and exercise, as well as a form of meditation.

But it’s not just homeless people that rely on this charity. Middleton Community Trust have fed over 15,000 people, many of whom just can’t afford to put food on the table. With so many people relying on this charity to survive, it is under a lot of pressure and desperately needs some donations. Unfortunately, due to lack of exposure (as all funding goes straight back into providing for those who need help) Middleton Community Trust is not getting the funding it needs.

Middleton is doing all it can to deal with the epidemic of homelessness that is running throughout Manchester, but they could do so much more with a little help.

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