Lucy’s photofilm on the Guardian
(Update – July 2013: ‘Be Myself’ won First Prize in The Press Photographer’s Year 2013 Multimedia category and was shortlisted for the Anthropographia 2013 awards.) Over this project, I spent many days and months working with Lucy. Today her story, in the photofilm Be Myself, was published on the Guardian website. There’s been some great feedback, […]
Nearly 2000 people visited ‘Where from? Where now?’ exhibition
Nearly two thousand people came to see the ‘Where from? Where now?’ exhibition, which ran for five days from 14-18 November, 2012, at the gallery@oxo on London’s South Bank. Through photography, print, audio and film the exhibition told the stories of 15 of the women I met whilst working on this project. Through their individual stories, […]
WFWN in the media
With a footfall of nearly 2000, the work from the exhibition ‘Where from? Where now?’ reached hundreds of thousands more through coverage in national and international media. Alongside listings including Time Out, Metro, Guardian and Inside Housing, the work was featured in online and print media including BBC and ITV, as well as in homeless-sector […]
Photofilm: Be Myself
‘Be Myself’ is the story of one of the homeless women I met whilst working on this project. It sheds light on issues that so often go ignored. It’s not an easy film to watch but it offers hope.
The film does contain material that some people may find distressing.
To watch the photofilm please click on the photograph to the left.
Maria, 25 (incl audio)
“When I was 13, we moved because of my Dad’s job. I just rebelled. I started smoking. I started getting into drugs, smoking cannabis. I started having sex at 15, quite an early age. I look back now and think that was too young. (…)
You may find the contents of this story upsetting.
To continue reading Maria’s story please click on her photograph.
Hazel, 53 (incl audio)
“I’ve been re-housed and living in my own place for the last year and a half. The last time I was homeless was for four years. It was the hardest time. I’m lucky enough to have some old friends in London. Ask ‘Is it alright if I stay?’ and most people honestly would say yes. But you can’t stay. It’s not fair on them, their families or whatever. (…)
You may find the contents of this story upsetting.
To continue reading Hazel’s story please click on her photograph.
Jakki, 46 (incl audio)
“I tell you, I could write a book, you wouldn’t believe my life story. My first job was at the Miami boat show, just cleaning and washing the Donzi boats. I ended up getting lessons on sailing and racing, taking the boats out. We won loads of races. We sailed from Fort Lauderdale down to Antigua, Tortola, San Juan. I travelled the seasons. (…)
You may find the contents of this story upsetting.
To continue reading Jakki’s story please click on her photograph.
Suzana, 37 (incl audio)
“The first time I tried heroin was to kill myself. They had taken my kids like I am a useless person. So I bought three £10 bags and injected it. I so wanted to die, and in a way I did – because the next day I was just a heroin addict. Maybe not the next day, but that’s what it was heading for. (…)
You may find the contents of this story upsetting.
To continue reading Suzanna’s story please click on her photograph.
Georgina, 20
“I was a really quiet person when I was young, really withdrawn. Now you can’t shut me up. I’ve actually become a little bit madder, but also a lot more confident since being on the street. You have to. (…)
You may find the contents of this story upsetting.
To continue reading Georgina’s story please click on her photograph.
Amanda, 44
“I’m homeless and living on the streets. Why? I was married for 17 years and my partner used to beat me up. I had children so I had to wait until they’d grew up before I could actually leave. When my youngest sorted her life out, I ran away. I got into a refuge because the council thought my children were with me. He ended up finding me and smashed the place up, so I got kicked out. (…)
You may find the contents of this story upsetting.
To continue reading Amanda’s story please click on her photograph.
Kerry, 26
“I’ve got my own place now. I’ve been living here for five weeks. I was quite nervous, because I don’t want to mess it up, and I’d never lived on my own before. I quite like it now. I wouldn’t want to go back on the streets. (…)
You may find the contents of this story upsetting.
To continue reading Kerry’s story please click on her photograph.
Michelle, 27
“I’m a parent now. Well, I’ve been a parent for a while, but I’m actually a mother that’s able to look after my children now. My twins run me ragged on a daily basis. I live in a flat which is my own – it’s rented from the council. I am waiting to start college, hopefully to do a music course. (…)
You may find the contents of this story upsetting.
To continue reading Michelle’s story please click on her photograph.
Keeley, 29
“Social Services kept chucking me from pillar to post. I was in 29 placements in less than two months. Children’s homes, foster carers, children’s homes, foster placements. I was about 12. I just had enough. I’ve been let down a great deal by a lot of people saying they’ll be there and they haven’t. (…)
You may find the contents of this story upsetting.
To continue reading Keeley’s story please click on her photograph.
Lorraine, 21
“I have been homeless for four-and-a-half years. My mum moved abroad and left me with £200. It was a happy childhood, don’t get me wrong. Apart from when I was four, I stopped talking for two years because I lost one of my triplet brothers. I got talking again, and then I lost my other brother. I love my dad, but he became a heroin addict when I was 13, and now I can’t be around that. (…)
You may find the contents of this story upsetting.
To continue reading Lorraine’s story please click on her photograph.
Gemskii, 40
“I just stumbled around really, never being able to home myself. I had various rented accommodations but they were appalling – boarded up windows, derelict. Girlfriends housed me mostly. I was quite often in abusive relationships but unable to leave because I had nowhere to go. (…)
You may find the contents of this story upsetting.
To continue reading Gemskii’s story please click on her photograph.
Sharnia, 27
“Before all this, I was a mother. I gave my daughter to my mum. Then I was on the road, I was homeless. I see my daughter if I want. But I don’t want her to see me this way. (…)
You may find the contents of this story upsetting.
To continue reading Sharnia’s story please click on her photograph.
Exhibition impressions
Many thanks to Marie Skilling for the blog she wrote after visiting my exhibition. Click on the pic below to read…
WFWN Exhibition has just opened at gallery@oxo!
We have just opened the doors of the exhibition at gallery@oxo on London’s South Bank! It will be open daily for the rest of this week with an extended opening time on Friday evening: Wednesday – Thursday: 11 am -6 pm Friday 11am-9pm Saturday-Sunday 11am-7pm Admission is free. For those of you who are new […]
Women & Homelessness
12% rough sleepers seen in London are women[1] 29% of single homeless people with support needs are women[2] 95% of female rough sleepers have been victims of crime[3] More than one in five homeless women have been in prison[4] “Women’s needs are very different to men’s when they are on the street. The way to […]
Motherhood
A survey for Crisis showed that one third of homeless women identified as childless were in fact mothers[1] 68% of the women in the Crisis survey said their children were temporarily being looked after by someone else, including local authorities; 31% said their children were permanently living with someone else[2] Around 18,000 children are separated […]
Mental Health & Wellbeing
76% of homeless women with mental ill health issues have slept rough, compared to 54% without mental health issues[1] The five most prevalent psychiatric diagnoses by St Mungo’s Life Works Psychotherapy service are: depression; PTSD; bi-polar affective disorder; personality disorder; psychosis-related[2] 69% of women were diagnosed by the St Mungo’s Life Works Psychotherapy service with […]
Childhood Trauma
11% of all people seen rough sleeping in London have experience of care[1] Approximately 10% of all girls and 5% of all boys experience some form of sexual abuse before they reach the age of 18[2] Up to 80% of young adults who have been abused meet the diagnostic criteria for at least one psychiatric […]
Domestic Abuse
63% of homeless women have experienced domestic violence; 40% have experienced sexual abuse[1] On a typical day, an estimated 3,615 women and 3,580 children are supported in refuge-based services in England. An estimated 16,815 are supported annually[2] 13% of the households accepted by local authorities to be owed a main homelessness duty said they lost […]
Prison
19% of women in prison were not in permanent accommodation before entering custody. 10% were sleeping rough[1] Around one-third of female prisoners lose their homes and often their possessions while in custody[2] 38% of women in prison do not have accommodation arranged on release. Only 11% receive help with housing matters[3] 82% of women serving […]
