Ryan’s thanks for support of Sleaford HRS colleagues which helped him turn his life around

“I’ve got everything sorted out now, I’m flying.”

Those are the words of one grateful young man who has turned his life around after finding himself homeless before engaging with our services at Sleaford HRS.

Ryan Paul, 26, openly admits he fell into the trap of drugs and associating with the wrong crowd. After spending 17 weeks on the streets and then repeatedly getting into trouble with the authorities after moving into a flat in Lincoln, Ryan handed his keys back to the council.

“Drugs ruined everything,” he said.

I had a partner, but we went our separate ways and that took me down the wrong path. I chose drugs to keep me going – it was like a coping mechanism for me.

“I then took the wrong people in, I was letting people sleep in my flat but I was getting into trouble with the police and the council.

“Eventually, I basically handed my keys back to the council. I gave up – I wanted to get out of there and also out of Lincoln.

“I moved back in with my mum for a few months, sleeping on her couch, before I got the help I needed to get out of Lincoln, as I knew it wasn’t the best place for me.”

Ryan worked with the council and the police to help him find a way out of Lincoln and was referred to our service at Sleaford HRS.

He jumped at the chance and has credited colleagues there with helping him turn his life around.

“The help you get from the staff is amazing,” he added.

“I was still on drugs when I first went there, but they’ll help you as much as you want the help. If you don’t want it or won’t accept it, they won’t help.

But I told myself I was ready to start a new life and I battled every single day to get off what I was on and the staff were there every single day to help.

“As long as you keep your head down and focus on what you want to do, they’ll help. They’re fantastic.

“Every single one of them is great and I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them.”

Ryan ended up at Sleaford HRS for more than two years due to the Coronavirus pandemic, but has now moved into his own one bedroom house.

Colleagues from Sleaford HRS have been providing resettlement support and Ryan said his eyes are now firmly set on the future.

“My new house is perfect,” he said.

“I’m a five-minute walk from town, I can do my shopping easily and I’ve got all my bills set up thanks to the resettlement support from the staff at Sleaford HRS.

I’m doing really well now and I’m off the drugs.

“My relationship with my parents is superb now and they can come and visit me in my own place. It’s nice to be able to put the kettle on for them!

“I’ve got everything sorted out now, I’m flying.

At the minute, my main priority is getting the house finished and after that, I want to start working. I want to start getting an income and doing things that normal human beings do like going away for the weekend.

“I don’t have a driving licence at the moment, so I want to find work and pay for some driving lessons so I can get out and about – that’ll be huge for me.”