We were made aware of this man’s plight through a reliable connection so we decided to investigate further, especially as the weather was so uncertain and of course with diabetes it is important that you eat regularly to keep the condition under control. It turns out that he’d been evicted from his property by his housing association because he had fallen into arrears with his rent. The bailiffs arrived and changed the locks on his property whilst he was actually at court!
Further enquiries found that although he’d been offered a place in a halfway house, the rules regarding times you had to be in your room meant that he would be unable to continue his volunteer work as a relief driver so he turned it down. As he had done this, the authorities were reluctant to help him further, which suggests they felt he’d had his chance and blown it.
We then learnt that he’d been offered a place to move to in the new year. He’d managed to save his white goods and cooking equipment (we found out he was a keen chef), but he needed money to pay for bedding and or a chair or sofa, so we agreed on a sum to help him out.
A phone call to him later and it was all sorted out. Turns out he was a really lovely man, quite a gentleman on the phone and very grateful for the help from The Biscuit Fund.
So a happy outcome, just in time for Christmas!