Suited and booted, thanks to Polly and the New Hope shop

Life couldn’t get much worse for Craig.  His once successful business had folded, he had lost his home, there was bad blood between he and his brother, and both parents were fighting terminal illness.

He sofa surfed for a while but most nights he slept out on the streets. That was until he asked for help.

He explained: “I got on my bike and went to the Haven. I’m Watford born and bred so I knew the Haven did something for rough sleepers, but I wasn’t too sure how much they did. In fact, they do so much.”

He got on well at the Haven and they recommended him to the Sanctuary which provided him with his own room, regular meals and, as he said, reason to get up in the morning.

But more angst was just around the corner. His parents died within four months of each other but Craig’s brother wouldn’t let him into the family home to get clothes for his mum’s funeral.

Staff at the Sanctuary suggested going to see Polly Odbert, the manager in the New Hope shop in Queens Road, Watford.

“She dressed me head to foot for the funeral and I was taken to the service by two members of staff from the Sanctuary – my brother wouldn’t let me ride in the hearse. But, I was the best dressed man at the funeral, thanks to Polly.

“I led the service from the beginning to the end and I was the last one to leave. My brother kept a very low profile.  Despite all the difficult things I had endured, I kept my head held high.

“After the funeral I stopped at a bike shop and spoke to the owner. He commented on how well I was dressed. I asked him if he had any work and he said ‘yes, come in tomorrow at 8am’. I think the clothes did the trick.

“I’d lost everything, apart from my self-respect and my will to live, so the opportunity to earn again was a big step up.”

After six months in the Sanctuary, he moved into a HopeHome and Craig is now thriving. He is also counting his blessings.

He said: “I truly feel life is moving forward again. I’ll always be grateful to the Haven, the Sanctuary, to New Hope and to Polly for getting me dressed up to say goodbye to my mum.”