Homeless at 16-now I'm loving Oxford life

Student Chloe is 'so grateful' for support as she rebuilt her life

- JOSEPH TIMAN

A WOMAN who used to walk the streets of Manchester as a homeless teenager says her life has taken a "surreal" turn after being accepted into Oxford University.

Chloe Pomfret, 20, grew up in foster care during her early school years after becoming estranged from her family following the death of her grandfather.

She then spent three months sofa surfing and living on the streets aged 16 - a time when she contemplated suicide and felt she had "nowhere to turn". But her school managed to help her into supported accommodation and Chloe decided to focus on her education and had dreams of becoming a biology teacher.

Applying to Oxford University was not on Chloe's radar, but after discovering its Human Sciences course, which was "everything [she had] ever dreamed of", she decided to apply. At this point, Chloe's two-year period in supported accommodation was coming to an end and if she could not find another place to live, she would face becoming homeless again.

To her disbelief, she managed to secure a place at Oxford and said receiving the news was "the greatest day" of her life. Now, following her own journey through foster care and becoming estranged and homeless, she has spent her first year at the prestigious establishment changing university policy to help support students like herself.

"It's still surreal when I walk out into Oxford. You see all these big, fancy buildings, and it's just a whole other world," Chloe said. "You go to formals, where they're serving you food, I have a cleaner that comes and cleans my room, and I just think, 'What on Earth?'

"It makes me feel so grateful that I've had the support to get to where I am."