ON the second night Rob Owen slept rough he was kicked and beaten by three men as he sought solace in the shadow of Wigan Parish Church.
On his fifteenth and last night on the streets his face was slashed with a screwdriver. What had he done to deserve this? He was homeless.
But he was also ashamed of his predicament and admits now that he was too proud to ask for help.
If you have a stereotypical view of a homeless person then Rob certainly isn’t it. The 43 year-old former grammar school boy had it all – house, partner, family and was regularly pulling in £300-plus a week.
“If money was tight, I’d just do a few extra shifts on the taxis,” he says. “Looking back I suppose I was a bit cocky about everything.”
When it did all fall apart for Rob, it happened quickly, and he ended up out on the streets with just the clothes he stood up in to show for it. From there on in his life became less concerned with material wealth and more focused on staying warm, safe and dry.
Huddled in doorways, sleeping between the skips at the back of shops, using supermarket toilets to keep clean and relying on the kindness of strangers.
And all the while running a nightly gauntlet of violence and abuse at the hands of those who like nothing more than to quite literally kick someone when they’re down. “I didn’t eat for eight days and after a while it becomes difficult to see any hope or a way out,” he says.
But just when he least expected it, a little bit of hope came along.
When a passing stranger suggested he went to visit the homelessness help centre at the former Bricklayers Arms on Hallgate, Rob felt he really had nothing to lose.
Created by the Queen’s Hall Methodist Church and supported by Wigan Council, the centre, now affectionately known as ‘The Brick’, has been helping homeless people just like Rob since it opened its doors for the first time over the summer.
When Rob knocked tentatively on the door at the The Brick he was met by centre manager Trish Green. Trish gave up a career with the NHS in June this year because she knew she could help.
“Homeless people have to face a lot of stigma,” says Trish. “People tend to think that they must have drug or alcohol problems and while these can be very real issues, it’s not always the case. Others think they must be lazy and don’t want to help themselves but again this isn’t accurate. I used to think all those things myself and at one time I would have crossed the street if I saw a homeless person but that has changed. The people who use the centre come from all walks of life and are often intelligent and articulate but have fallen on hard times.”
Trish has a team of 11 volunteers who help at the centre.
“It’s a place where people can come and have a cup of tea or a chat,” says Trish. “But it’s more than that. We offer help and advice for those who are looking to get back on their feet.”
The Brick also gives people help with independent living, regularly running courses in cookery skills, basic Maths and English, even guitar lessons!
It was born out of the Queen’s Hall’s successful yearly recovery centre which offers refuge, a warm welcome and hot food over the Christmas season.
And while there is a Christian ethos at the heart of The Brick it welcomes anyone through the doors, regardless of faith.
“For homeless people it can be very easy to slip into the spiral of hopelessness and depression,” says Trish. “It can be difficult but when we see someone who has come out the other side and starts to get their life back on track it’s a big moment for us.”
In the few short months since Rob first became homeless, he’s undergone a bit of a transformation. He is now one of Trish’s volunteer helpers at The Brick and has recently moved into a flat close to the town centre.
Rob learning how to cook at The Brick with Steve Greyo and tutor Karen Mitchinson
“It sounds strange but in some ways it was the best thing that ever happened to me,” he says. “It taught me that things like money and possessions actually mean very little and that there are people out there who will help you when everyone else has turned their back.
“I wasn’t on the streets for very long but my advice to anyone is simple - don’t give up because there is always hope and don’t be afraid to ask for help.”
To find out more about the work of The Brick you can call the centre on 01942 236953. It is open 9.30am to 1pm, Mon and Fri and 9.30am to 11am Tues and Thurs.
"I’m born and bred in Wigan. I’ve been a taxi driver for 17 years. Streetwise, been around the block a few times. I thought if anyone could handle living rough it was me... I was wrong."
