'My life nearly ended' - Former homeless man on recovery and helping others
Séamus Fox with Cecile Roberts, CEO of Emmaus Norfolk & Waveney, ahead of the fundraising event. - Credit: Emmaus UK
A former homeless man who rebuilt his life after it was derailed by drug addiction and alcoholism is hoping he can help others.
More than six years ago Séamus Fox found himself without a home as he battled substance abuse.
But after Mr Fox became a companion with Emmaus UK - a charity working to end homelessness - in 2015, he turned his life around.
He joined Emmaus Colchester and then moved to Emmaus Cambridge where he spent five years living and working as part of the community.
The charity gave him a home, access to work opportunities, training and support, and thanks to the support of the team at Emmaus Cambridge, he successfully rebuilt his life as he travelled around the country to other Emmaus communities and heard from others who had also experienced homelessness.
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After being so moved by the stories he heard, Mr Fox took these experiences and turned it into a book of poetry called No Homeless Problem and Other Poems.
Having become a member of the staff support team at Emmaus Norfolk & Waveney in Ditchingham, Bungay earlier this year, Mr Fox is now set to host a fundraising evening later this month that will help to support more people to turn their lives around.
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An evening with Séamus Fox will take place on Monday, September 27, at 6.30pm at Emmaus Norfolk & Waveney on Belseybridge Bridge Road, Ditchingham.
It will feature a series of thought-provoking spoken word performances as it raises money for Emmaus Norfolk and Waveney.
Mr Fox said: “I’m delighted to be support Emmaus Norfolk and Waveney with this fundraising event.
"My life nearly ended more than once all those years ago when I was drinking and drugging every day and going around in desperate circles locked within a cycle of my own unintentional making.
"But I got out of it, finding a strength within myself and a good group of people at Emmaus who looked out for me and gave me everything I need to grow.”
Emmaus Norfolk & Waveney provides a home, work opportunities, support and training for formerly homeless people in Ditchingham.
It has charity shops at its Ditchingham site and in Castle Quarter, Norwich, where the 32 formerly homeless people are supported by the charity work and receive training.
Tickets for 'An evening with Seamus Fox' cost £15.
To buy tickets, email info@emmausnorfolkandwaveney.org
