When a person has experienced many setbacks in life, it can be difficult to find a positive way forward. Prior to coming to Route One, our mental health supported accommodation, Alice was finding it hard to cope with mental and physical health needs, a breakdown of familial relationships and substance use issues. We helped Alice gain the support she needed to see a brighter future away from sofa surfing and into independent accommodation. This is her story. When Alice was referred to Route One, she had complex needs inclusive of emotionally unstable personality disorder, and challenges with depression and intrusive … Read more

Going through the process of being granted asylum in the UK can be long, arduous and draining for people who have already been through traumatic events in their country of origin. Abdi went years without representation, having registered his asylum claim in 2021. This is when our Immigration Legal Service stepped in. This is Abdi’s story.

At BHT Sussex we are known for our resilience and ability to persevere, despite significant setbacks. This is demonstrated by our Immigration Legal Service, who helped a young man achieve refugee status after a six-year battle. This is Ishaq’s story. Ishaq grew up in Egypt, where he lived until he was a teenager. Ishaq’s father was arrested and imprisoned because of an association with the Muslim Brotherhood – a banned organisation in Egypt. It did not matter to Egyptian law enforcement whether the association was real or just perceived. The prison he was sent to is infamous for housing political … Read more

Navigating the benefits system can be incredibly difficult, which is why our staff in the East Sussex Floating Support Service are highly trained and knowledgeable about the system. This allows us to help many people across East Sussex who are struggling to access benefits and ultimately improve their quality of life. One such person is Dinah, who came to us for help accessing more financial support. This is her story. The Initial Challenge Dinah is a homeowner who lives with a variety of health conditions, including osteoarthritis, diabetes, hypertension, mobility issues, and has a history of falls. Due to having … Read more

Perseverance is a trait that is present within many of our clients as well as our staff. This characteristic is particularly present in clients and staff of our Addiction Services. Clients sometimes require our support multiple times before they eventually achieve the sobriety they are aiming for. Staff equally never give up on clients and continue to champion and support them through difficult times. This conviction is best told through the story of one our clients, Will, who relapsed before returning to Addiction Services a second time.  This is Will’s story. In April 2024, Will returned to the Detox Support … Read more

There can be many factors that build up to cause someone to be insecurely housed. For Jacqui, the loss of her job and the breakdown of her marriage led her to become a member of the ‘hidden homeless’ population, as she was sofa surfing. This is when she sought the help of the Accommodation for Work project at BHT Sussex. Jacqui first came to the project following her separation from her ex-husband. He retained the family home to look after their children as he was not working. After moving out, Jacqui stayed on her mother’s sofa and worked part time. … Read more

After expanding our Immigration Legal Team in recent years, we have been able to assist in more specialist immigration cases that involve domestic violence. Although most immigration cases are complicated, it can be particularly difficult to work through the layers to help someone remain in the UK when someone has experienced domestic violence. A clear example of this is Kosi’s case, who was concerned she wouldn’t be able to remain in the UK if she left her spouse. This is her story. Kosi is originally from Ghana and had been living in the UK for several years with her husband … Read more

Homelessness is never part of anyone’s life plan and can completely derail the career path someone is on. Our Accommodation for Work project helps people whose lives have been derailed by homelessness access independent accommodation, employment and education. Arwa came to the project as an 18-year-old with the goal of becoming a dentist. However, domestic violence caused her to become homeless, and forced her to leave her dentistry apprenticeship. This is her story. Arwa lived in on the outskirts of London with her family but began experiencing domestic violence due to cultural and religious issues, which caused the relationship with … Read more

Living with unsupported mental health needs can make reaching personal goals seem unimaginable and unrealistic. However, through the support offered at Route One, our mental health supported accommodation, we help set our clients on the path to meet their goals and feel more in control of their own lives. This was the case with Eleanor, who gained the tools to move on with her life after coming to Route One. This is her story. Eleanor is a 32 year old woman who was living with undiagnosed bipolar disorder and emotionally unstable personality disorder (EUPD). Eleanor was struggling with alcohol and … Read more

Pathfinder West Sussex is an alliance of organisations working together to empower people to improve their mental health and wellbeing. BHT Sussex is part of this alliance. Pathfinder prides itself on its volunteer Peer Mentors, who use their lived experiences of mental health challenges to create a supportive environment where their clients can discuss their needs, as well as work towards achieving their goals and aspirations. Harsha first came to Pathfinder in 2014. This is her story. “In 2011, I was at my lowest in my life. I was alone, lonely and felt isolated from everyone and everything around me. … Read more

Living day to day Last year, I was living a hectic life in Brighton and Eastbourne – to escape that I turned up on my mum’s doorstep, and I wasn’t looking well because I’d been on drugs for a long time. After 6 months Khan’s relationship with his mum and his recovery broke down. He had to leave his mum’s house and he returned to Brighton, where he had nowhere to live. He ended up sleeping rough. Khan was initially placed in emergency temporary accommodation, through the local Street Outreach Service, but he needed more supportive and longer-term housing, and … Read more

After going through the difficult journey of recovering from addiction and sleeping rough, being in secure employment can offer purpose to someone’s life. This is the story of Ross, who turned their life around with the help of our Intern Programme, and our Housing Services. “On 31st October 2014, I went into Mill View Hospital Promenade Ward for an alcohol and diazepam detox. Up until my hospital admission, I was street homeless, rough sleeping and begging for change on the streets of Brighton, Hove and Sussex. I was just over 8 stone in weight and had lost most of my … Read more