This week, we’re trying to help a young mum called Leah who has been living in hotels with her 3 children for almost a year, after fleeing from her partner.

Her 11 year old son has additional needs and she also has a 6 year old son and a 2 year old daughter.

They have been moved between 3 different hotels in the past 9 months. There was nowhere to cook, no fridge to keep her baby’s milk cold, and no laundry facilities. Leah has been spending hundreds of pounds a month on takeaway food just so the children could have a hot meal.

Leah’s eldest son attends a special school, which was two hours away from the first hotel they were placed in. When I was talking to Leah about how she has coped, she said: “I didn’t cope. I spent my time crying and hiding in the bathroom from my children so they wouldn’t see me upset. I never talk about anything in front of them and I always made sure they knew this was temporary - I didn’t want them to think that this hotel was their home. My youngest son didn’t know what to tell his friends about where he lives.”

“I tried to be strong, but mentally I could feel that I wasn’t the same. It’s hard being told by your child’s teacher that they’ve had to give them uniform because you can’t wash, or to know that I cant cook a hot meal for them when I want to. I could see the changes in my daughter while we were there too. She was really attracted to windows and dangerous places…she just wanted to see out.”

They have just moved into a proper flat – it’s temporary accommodation, but it’s where they will stay for up to 3 years. The children are thriving in their new schools and Leah is so relieved.

They family was nominated by their health visitor, who asked if we could help with some furniture for the flat and things for Leah and the children. The flat is very bare at the moment, with no washing machine or furniture. We’d like to help them get set up and make it feel like a home. 

*Stock image used and name has been changed this week