Fred’s Story

Fred is a customer at Look Ahead’s Kensington and Chelsea Homelessness and Complex Needs Services. He is getting ready to take the next step and move into lower acuity supported housing.

I’ve been a customer at Look Ahead for over two years now. The staff are nice here, I feel really comfortable and they’ve all got hearts of gold.

They support me with whatever I need, and we can have a good chat and a joke about too. I’ve benefited so much from the help I’ve received here, that I’m getting ready to move into a new house where I will need a lower level of support.

Sometimes I struggle with drinking so my support worker has helped me get onto a drug and alcohol education programme to help me look after myself after I move out. I’m sad to be leaving Heaney Hub, but the time is right. It’s been a great time all in all.

Thanks to the confidence I’ve built up here, I’ve been able to spend more time visiting the East End where I grew up, and go to West Ham games, both at home and sometimes away. I often attend church too, where I get to meet other people, and even pick up new languages. I’ve learned some phrases from Nigerian and Ghanaian languages so far. I’ve loved living so close to Portobello Road Market as well, especially going there for Jamaican jerk chicken and rice.

Being at Look Ahead has helped me rebuild relationships with my brother and nephew in Essex. My nephew is so dear to me and seeing him has been wonderful.

When I move, I’m looking forward to being more independent, and pursuing my passion for sports. When I was younger I got table tennis, snooker and swimming trophies, and the staff here are helping to set up a gym membership for me, so I can keep fit and healthy after I go.

I’m grateful to have been at Look Ahead, and most importantly, while I’ve been here, I’ve learned that change can only come if I want it to and if I try to make it happen.