Nottingham: 'Being homeless is like giving up every dream I had'

'Being homeless is like giving up every dream I had' A man who turned his life around said being homeless was like "giving up every dream that I had".

Daniel Wozniak says he ended up sleeping in a tent in the Bestwood area of Nottinghamshire after losing his job as a lorry driver.

The 41-year-old, who had been rough sleeping in different areas across the country for about a year, said the experience made him feel like he had a "wasted life".

Now, speaking from his home in Nottingham, he has shared his experiences to show others there is hope and support out there for them.

The loss of his job due to his employer going bust, coupled with a painful breakup, was just the start of a difficult journey for Mr Wozniak.

"I was supposed to get work in Southampton, but I lost my [train] ticket, so I was homeless and spent nine months in London.

"I had a motorcycle accident, I broke eight spinal bones and my right wrist and collarbone. My spine is a metal plate."

'I was alone' Mr Wozniak, who is originally from Poland and has lived in the UK for 14 years, says the experience of being homeless has left him unable to remember the timeline, and certain periods in detail.

But what he can remember are the feelings of loss and loneliness.

"[Being homeless] is like giving up everything, I can't really explain it, you have to feel it," he added.

"It was like giving up every dream that I had.

"I had everything stolen on the first night, I was alone.

"It's like the worst thing, you can't pay attention to anything and it's tough."

He says his mental health deteriorated due to homelessness, adding: "[Being homeless is] like switching yourself off. [It made me feel like] I had a wasted life.

"Before [I was homeless], I didn't even know the kind of thoughts that I could have, that everything can fall apart in a week."

But he says his life took a turn for the better when a member of the Framework charity approached him.

Mr Wozniak has now lived in a rented one-bedroom flat in Carrington for the last year, which is owned by the charity.

He also says he has been able to keep pets, including a cat and gecko lizard, which he says are an important part of his recovery.

"They get me up," he says. "When I was homeless, I had no purpose, here I have that."

Mr Wozniak says he is still getting used to his new life - but is cautious to look ahead too much, as he never thought he would be living on the streets.

"I don't want to rush anything, I'm not setting targets [for] myself, when I had them it fell apart. But [now] it's better. I've got no idea where I'm gonna be in a year's time."

He has regular check-ups with Anthony Cuts, his caseworker, who said: "We support tenants who are homeless and give them extra support with bills and any problems they've got, like doctors appointments.

"Daniel's settled in, and it's still ongoing, but we're here to help him move forward."