My name is Katie and I was in Edges magazine in 1995. I was in Manchester. I’m still living rough and I’m almost 9 months pregnant. There is a place I could go to but I don’t really like it so I spend most of my time on the streets. This is my first child and I feel happy about it. The father is Scottish, I’m going to go to him while I’m in the baby unit. I'll probably get my own flat after that.

My family in Scotland know I’m pregnant but they think I’m a bad girl because I drink. It’s been difficult being pregnant on the streets. They didn’t find me that place until I was 7½ months but I didn’t like it. It was boring because I’m used to an exciting life in the West End, sleeping rough. I won't be able to sleep rough once the baby’s born. I’m going into St. Thomas’s hospital to have the baby when it comes. I’m not scared. I’ve got support from the social and other agencies are helping me like London Connection. I’ve not been left alone. London Connection is a day centre for under-25s. They've got advice workers and street workers as well. They'll help me if I need anything.

A BIG ISSUE SELLER TELLS HIS STORY

I’ve been in London since May this year. I was down in London the year before last and met so many good people that I decided to come back when I got out of jail. I’ve met up with my friends again, I like it and there’s no way I’m going in a hostel because on the streets you've got so much freedom.

Some people care, and some people just brush past you and don’t care. I’m 42 years of age. It would be nice to find somebody, settle down, get a flat, get a house and maybe have a family. I’ve spent half my life in jail. I’ve been in and out of jail since I was 15, for petty crimes really. I regret it now because I should have been doing this years ago. If I had done, I would probably have stayed out of jail. I’ve been married three times and, when I was living in a house, I had friends but they were only so-called friends. On the street we all stand by each other, any trouble and we're all there. I’m definitely going straight now. I was a burglar all my life but now that I’m on the streets the only thing that would put me back in jail would be if I had to defend myself, if I was attacked or anything.

I like it on the streets. I can go wherever I chose to go, nobody tells me what to do, it's nice. If I met a woman, I'd move in together but I don’t want that just yet because I’ve been locked up for so much time that this freedom is luxury to me. I sell the Big Issue and I’m also badged up. The Big Issue is for the homeless people, like me, not for the people who have got a flat. I actually sleep on the streets. It does happen though, people with somewhere to live selling the Big Issue, crippling the homeless people. I’ve got nothing. Don't get me wrong, there’s a lot of people selling the Big Issue, and not everyone buys from the same vendor, but I need to make money.

I'd like to go travelling again. I’ve been to Devon, Torbay, it's beautiful down there. There are day centres to help you, soup runs and social care people to talk to.

GLYN TONKS TELLS HIS STORY

My name is Glynn Tonks and I’m 29. I’ve been on the street in London for 3 years. I’ve had family problems and 2 brain operations as well, and I ended up in London. I was the victim of a hit and run accident. My skull was shattered, there was a blood clot and I was on a life support machine. The following week the membrane split on the right hand side of my brain, you can still see the scar, and I had to have my leg pinned back into place. Ever since then I’ve lived in London because I love London. I am an alcoholic. I’ve been put into DCC twice, and discharged myself both times. Plus I’ve got a mental illness as well, I’m schizophrenic, but only since my accident. It took me a year and a half to learn to read, write and talk again. That’s my life story.

When you're begging, there are some good people and some bad people. The police pick on us and arrest us a lot of the time for being drunk and disorderly, even when we're not drunk. Last week I was in a cell from Friday night until Monday morning when I had to appear before the magistrates. The prosecution dropped the charges. That’s what we get, it's unbelievable. Some of the hostels are terrible, it's like being in a prison and the food is rubbish.

I never keep in touch with my family anymore. When I was 27, my mum told me that my dad wasn't my real father. That broke my heart and I just kept away. My real dad left my mum when I was one. Her family kicked her out because she was so young when she had me so she moved from Tipperary to the Midlands. Why couldn't she have told me the truth sooner? Then all of a sudden, she told me that my half-brother wanted to find me. I didn’t even know that I had a half-brother. Also my real dad wanted to get in touch with me as well. I'd had enough so I came straight to London just to get away from it all.

I can't work, I’ve been written off. Just before my accident, I got my degree from Aston University. I’m a programmer. They've written me off because of the damage to my brain. I wake up swearing. I smoke and drink a lot. Drink makes me forget the past. I am going to stay here but I would like to go to Brighton, the hostels are good there.

ITALIAN LAD ON THE STREETS

Each year many young people from other parts of Europe descend on London looking for work. Some, like our friend Alex, can end up on the streets

My name is Alex, I’ve been in London for 6 months now, and I’m from north Italy. I came to England to find work, painting and decorating, and I finished up on the streets. I never knew my father, I lived alone with my mother because I don’t have any brothers or sisters. I went to a normal school in Milan, after that I spent 2 years at college then I didn’t do anything more.

I came to London because everyone told me that London was a nice place to go to. You can get work, you can enjoy yourself – now I realise that’s not true. Maybe 20 years ago it was easy to get by in London but now that’s not the case. Before, I lived with my girlfriend who was Italian. She came with me to London and, when I lost my work, I lost my girlfriend. I got very depressed, I’m now alone and I don’t care what happens to me. In Italy, I smoked cannabis, but since coming to London I have not had any. I believe in God. I’m not very good at religion but I do believe in God and in the Bible, and I do pray. I ask God to help me.

I now live in Vauxhall train station but sometimes, when I get some money, I try and go into a hostel so I can have a shower and keep myself clean. It’s tough. I don’t like this life and my hope is that this life will get better and change. My family think I am working in London, little do they know that I am on the streets. I don’t want to tell my mother because if she realises I’m on the street it'll be a shock to her. I wake up each morning about 10 o'clock and try to beg some money for breakfast. After breakfast, I walk along the Thames River and make another three or four pounds for something to eat during the day. I sleep for 2 hours and then I go to Leicester Square to try and make some more money.

Sometimes people can be rude when you're sleeping out on the street. I haven't been attacked although once someone gave me a kick. I don’t have many friends here in London, but I do have a few. I’ve met another Italian man who is in the same situation as me and he has become a good friend. We help each other. He's 30 years old, he's older than me and he has more experience. It’s important to have someone you can talk to on the street. When you feel bad you can speak to someone. The police have arrested me in the past for begging.

My girlfriend has gone back to Italy. I knew her for 2 years and her name was Vivienne. We met at school and that was when we decided to come to England. A new life. When we first came things were ok. I started painting when we arrived, I was on £4 per hour. I would like to go back to Italy. Maybe I will phone my mother and tell her I have finished the work. She might give me some money so I can go back, she won't know. But, I will start to work as before. I brought £1000 with me from Italy. I spent some on clothes and the rest went on survival. We stayed in a nice hostel, which was £13 per night, for 12 days. I was here 15 days before I started to work. We found a flat and some of the money went on that, for the deposit and the rent.

SHE'S GONE

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. Material Copyright © 1997 THOMAS (Those on the Margins of a Society)
THOMAS is an integral part of Catholic Welfare Societies, Registered Charity number 503102