Stories behind the Storage
Hear from the people who have used our service.
“Consider rebranding your name to be more reflective that you do so much more”
One-to-one support
We had been supporting Ellie* for a year and a half, starting when we first stored her belongings. At a critical point in securing Legal Aid for her housing case, she was severely unwell due to rough sleeping in poor weather and requested help so she wouldn't have to face the process alone. We were able to sit with her, supporting her as she filled out her passport application (which we arranged to be delivered to our address) and accompanied her to the bank to obtain the necessary statements for her legal case.
*Not her real name.
Signposting
After Tamara (Our Referrals and Storage Coordinator) recently supported someone in a critical situation, we asked her to share some reflections about the moments where we provide support. To protect the privacy and dignity of the person most recently involved, we've blended several true stories we’ve heard into a blog post.
Emergency Fund
When you lose your home it's easy to lose a sense of who you are. At Street Storage, our mission is to make sure that doesn't happen. We've seen first hand how belongings can hold a part of a person's identity, like the electric guitar of one of the people who uses our service. It was a priceless possession to them, but it was unplayable—with broken strings and no lead or picks.
We believe that keeping these precious belongings is a vital part of finding your way back. So, we made sure to replace the broken equipment for the guitar and they were able to start playing their music again. They’ve recently been performing in local venues with their guitar and have earned enough money to stay in hostels while they work on their future.
Reconnecting
Storage can lead to reconnection in a number of ways. One example is reconnecting people with their family. Minar’s* daughter was bullied at school because he used to turn up to school events (sports days, parents evening) with all his bags - it was clear her Dad was on the streets. This placed a huge strain on their relationship. Once storing for him though, Minar was able to attend a school play free of judgement and the bullying of his daughter decreased over time - their relationship improving as a result.
*Not his real name.