Georgia's Story

After living in Manchester, Georgia had a relationship breakdown with her ex-partner and moved out of their home along with her four children and went to stay with her family. As they were overcrowded, she decided to try and move into private rented accommodation, however this was not possible due to her being unemployed and on benefits. A local council she had connections to found her a temporary 2 bed flat Luton which was a long distance from where her children’s school was located. It also took away her support network which says was the hardest part of her journey. She stayed for three weeks and as it was not practical and difficult on her, the council managed to find her a three-bed house locally close to her family’s home on a three-month contract with the condition that she find accommodation of her own. Despite trying her utmost to find an alternative home she was turned down by 81 private landlords which was extremely upsetting and stressful for her.

After another tough battle with the council, they offered her a three-bed temporary flat in Peterborough which was even further out than Luton which would take hours to get her children to and back from school every day. Clearly, this was unsuitable as she continued to need the support of her family network.

On checking her emails at the beginning of September 2023, Georgia received an email from Sapphire Independent Housing offering her a room at a hostel local to her family. At first, she felt disheartened with being offered a hostel as she had preconceived ideas about how and what it would be like. Her family persuaded her to make contact, and she visited and met with the Hostel Manager, Leyla where Georgia automatically felt safe, relaxed, and knew that she would be ok.

Moving to the hostel was at the right time because it was a week before her children went back to School in September, so she moved in just before, so they were settled. It was a new start for her family. It now takes Georgia 15 minutes on the school run which is a much better journey than if she was staying in Luton or Peterborough.

Georgia says she gets along with all the other residents at the scheme, and they usually come to Georgia for advice. She says she’s like a mother hen.

Georgia is now waiting for her permanent and forever home and is continuing to bid for a three-bed home, which is proving difficult because none have been available since January 2024 which can sometimes be disheartening.

Georgia often sees other residents move out to permanent or other accommodation who moved into the hostel after she arrived but understands that everyone’s journey is different. She admits that its harder to see other people leave before her family.

Georgia says it affects her children as they do not understand why they are living in temporary accommodation. It’s difficult for them.

Georgia is really grateful for living at the hostel and says that they work with organisations who help the residents and charities often support that include the young reform generation being kind enough to send the residents and the children’s gifts. Another charity also gave a £150 gift voucher to each resident which really helped residents buy gifts for their families at Christmas 2023. They were incredibly thankful for this.

She recently moved to a larger family room which helps enormously that continues to have an individual kitchen and now access to her own bathroom.

She shares the other facilities such as laundry, family room and garden area.

Georgia is actively involved in Social Media and shares her experience about being a single mum to four children whilst living in a hostel. She shares the ups, downs with honesty on how it affects her family as a whole but is always complementary about the scheme.

Georgia is often asked about what it is like living in a hostel and people seek advice from her and would like to go into a field where she can help support people and even advocate on their behalf particularly as she been in the same situation and knows how difficult it is for herself and children because she shares the same experiences.

Georgias hopes for the future is that she and her children are settled into a permanent safe place of their own, gets back into work and help others who are in a similar position to herself.

Georgia has made clear that she has never complained and is forever grateful about living at the hostel. She says Leyla and Sapphire Independent Housing are very supportive and never judge her.

We would like to thank Georgia for sharing her story.