Nedyalka Petrov, 26, spent three years sleeping on the streets or in car parks around the London Bridge area with her boyfriend, after the couple were scammed out of the £1,500 they had been saving for a deposit on a home.
During this time, the 26-year-old became addicted to heroin, battled depression and tried to take her own life.
She spent last Christmas homeless once again, remarking: “I [remember seeing] people sleeping on the streets and [asking] my boyfriend ‘why are they sleeping on the streets, isn’t it cold?’ Two years later, that was me.”
READ MORE:Croydon woman, 23, who helps feed struggling families on Christmas Day
While working as a cleaner and her boyfriend as a builder, the pair had lived with 15 people in one house for two years as they saved money for a home.
When they were conned and lost £1,500, the couple of 10 years started living in a car. Then this went missing, so they lived in a tent for about a year before moving on to the streets in South East London.
But this Christmas Nedyalka has been able to buy gifts and a tree – for the first time in five years.
In January, she was helped to find temporary accommodation and supported to beat her addiction, partly by 57 members of the public.
Via the social enterprise Beam, people donated £858 towards a phone, laptop, Oyster travel card and work clothes for Nedyalka – enabling her to rebuild her life.
The 26-year-old expressed her gratitude to the group of people, telling PA news agency: “I just want to say thank you so much for everyone who had belief in me and for everyone who helped me, that it really means so much for me.
“They have helped me so much, now I have some hope for a better life.”
Now clean for almost a year, Nedyalka has just completed six weeks’ training at the Old Spike Roastery in Peckham, south-east London, and will start a part-time job there as a barista in the new year.
She and her partner are currently living in a hotel in West Norwood, south London, as they wait for the local council to provide them with a more permanent home.
Eventually, the 26-year-old would like to train to become an architect and has dreams of opening her own kitchen design company.
Including Nedyalka, Beam has supported 593 people into homes and stable jobs in sectors such as hospitality, retail and social care, and crowdfunded £2.7 million in donations.
The social enterprise received royal recognition earlier this year when the business was given the Queen’s Award for Enterprise.
Do you want to stay up to date with the latest news, views, features and opinion from across the city?
MyLondon’s brilliant newsletter The 12 is absolutely jam packed with all the latest to keep you keep you entertained, informed and uplifted.
You’ll get 12 stories straight to your inbox at around 12pm. It’s the perfect lunchtime read.
And what’s more – it’s FREE!
The MyLondon team tells London stories for Londoners. Our journalists cover all the news you need – from City Hall to your local streets, so you’ll never miss a moment.
Don’t skip a beat and sign up to The 12 newsletter here.
Founder and chief executive Alex Stephany said: “Since launching Beam at the end of 2017, we’ve supported more than 500 homeless people into stable jobs and homes.
“Many are former addicts, like Nedyalka, who are now clean and desperately want to secure stable work, contribute to our society and build brighter futures.
“But there are often some big financial barriers in their way, like training, travel costs, a laptop or childcare.
“Beam’s crowdfunding platform makes it simple for members of the public to donate to a homeless person looking to start work and send a message of support.”
Do you have a story you think we should be covering? Email [email protected]
Want more news? Sign up to My London’s FREE newsletters here .
Read More
Related Articles
Read More
Related Articles
