A dad-of-three who is living in a tent in a park says he would take a job "tomorrow" if he was offered one and all he wants is for people passing by to say hello. Paul Chapman has been sleeping rough with another man for several weeks.
Paul, 42, said he'd been left with nowhere to live after being told to leave a Salvation Army shelter because he was suspected of dealing drugs. Paul denied dealing, but openly admitted to StokeonTrentLive that he had battled heroin addiction. He said he had now got his habit under control thanks to the help of his doctor.
Paul added: “I haven’t even felt like I wanted any drugs, I’m in this situation and enough’s enough.”
Paul says he ended up on the streets after an accident left him with two broken heels. At first he was living in a council bungalow, but was evicted a year ago. He spent five days sleeping rough before getting a bed at the Salvation Army in Stoke-on-Trent. Since setting up at Longton Park in the city, Paul said he hadn’t received any kindness.
He added: “I’ve had kids throwing stuff at the tent, shaking the tent, I have panic attacks. It’s freezing at night. Nobody even says ‘Hi’ you can just hear them moaning. I’m not making a mess or troubling anyone.”
Paul, who is from Dresden in Stoke, says he is being supported by a relative who brings him food, warm drinks and extra layers of clothing. He also keeps in touch with his children over WhatsApp and looks forward to seeing them once he’s back on his feet.
He added: “I don’t need anything from anybody. I just wish people would at least ask if I’m OK. It’s boring out here, I’ve been colouring to occupy my time. It would be nice if someone chatted to me but people are probably scared because of the stories you hear about homeless people on monkey dust.”
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Paul says he also previously spent two nights in the Crown Hotel in Longton when snow hit the city. He said: “I’d like to get somewhere to live. I would be a good tenant, I was raised by my nan and grandad. I've got old fashioned rules, I’d do things properly, how they should be done.”
Paul also dreams of getting a job and added: “Because of my accident I can’t stand for too long or walk too far. I’ve got a full licence, I’m happy to do any driving job, it’s just carrying heavy weights and lifting that I can’t do. A driving job would suit me perfectly. If I was offered a job tomorrow, I’d take it.”
He said if the tables were turned, he would give people like him a chance, adding: “Not everybody is the same, not everybody takes drugs, some people are homeless for many different reasons. I ended up going to the Salvation Army and becoming a heroin addict. As soon as I left there I sorted myself out and I’ve been clean for three weeks now.”
A Stoke-on-Trent City Council spokesperson said: "There is a wide range of support for rough sleepers and homeless people in the city. Brighter Futures carries out sweeps right across the city every day of the year, and if anyone sees a person sleeping rough, they can call the Brighter Futures helpline.
"We have innovative services in the city that provided tailored support to help those who are homeless, sleeping rough and with multiple and complex needs, to help them get their lives back on track. The Changing Futures programme, working with voluntary and community sector partners, is doing just that, with people who have lived experiences of these issues supporting vulnerable people and helping services to be better at giving the help that the vulnerable people need."
Brighter Futures can be contacted on 0800 970 2304.
