Swapping streets for dust sheets to aid others

A MAN from Swansea, who had previously experienced being homeless and spent time in prison, is turning his life around by helping to renovate homes in the city for The Wallich charity.

- IAN LEWIS

The homeless and rough sleeping charity houses people in emergency need.

Dean, 44, who had previously used The Wallich services for several years, is now on placement with Cii Construction’s Community Impact Initiative, which offers roles to people with experience of homelessness to help them gain new vocational skills.

Dean is currently working on the refurbishment of one of the two houses donated to The Wallich by retired professors Valerie and Chris Norris. The total refurbishment of both homes is estimated at around £10,000.

Following a period of hardship in his life, Dean was keen to get back into construction.

He said: “I used to be a roofer, but after everything, I've been looking for a way to get back into working in the trades and seeing where it takes me. This has been great just to get back into a routine and get a bit more confidence.”

With his past experience, Dean quickly got back into the swing of things and became a valuable part of the team.