Target reached!
I’ll be able to put forward plans about the future of the community. Working in ways...
We Talk Together: Heather’s Hope
Lancing, West Sussex, United Kingdom
Aim
Offer support, create projects, and spread awareness for all that are suffering with poor mental health. Helping all ages and situations.
Hi there,
My name is Glen Clayton.
Born in Shoreham, raised in Worthing, now living in Lancing. From the age of 0-18 I had a lovely upbringing, surrounded by close friends and family I was unknown to the cruelness of how quickly things can turn in this world. My lovely mother Heather Clayton sadly took her own life at the age of 44. From the many who knew her, to the ones who didn’t, I can’t stress this enough, she was the most kindest and gentlest soul on this earth. With a heart full of gold, and the positive impact she had, on that day my life would change forever. From the sunshine and rainbows I used to see, quickly went to thunderstorms and darkness. My family were torn apart, which sadly left us to tear apart from the seams. From the effect of the families biggest loss, also resorted to moving out of our family home on East Worthing Council Estate, which led to my first temporary homeless situation of sofa surfing. Fast forward on at the age of 23, I met someone, we had one daughter, a flat in Worthing, everything seemed to be going well. Though on and off, I could feel myself slipping. Ever since my mother passed I had kept all of my emotions in, dealing with grief, anxiety and my mental health turned for the worst once again. I wasn’t able to work, I lost hope in myself, nothing felt right, which turned into the spiral of losing everything I once built myself up from, crashing to the ground. Faced with the biggest situation I could find myself in, I was once again back on my feet without a home. I was left without anywhere to turn, I felt emotionless, a man battling with his own thoughts with regrets on his shoulder, I didn’t want to become a burden to anyone else’s life. I was left without knowing any real advice, where to turn, who to seek, what help I could get. I battled for a year and a half walking around the same streets I once was happy in, left cold by the four am wake up call by seagulls on the seafront. I travelled from Worthing too London by train, repeating the daily patterns of trying to survive the months with warmth from the summer, food from the food banks, and sleep from inside of a roof hatch just off the main road by East Worthing station. My daughter was my only survival of thinking, I knew the importance of how much she needed me, the two days I kept in contact with her, were the days that kept me feeling weightless. The smile on her face, the trips too Brooklands Park we constantly went on, I knew I had to find a way out.
Covid 19? Covid 19! With the uncertainty it gave, the sadness of lives that were lost, the fear of lockdowns and disaster. This opened the gateway of the government to reach out and help the homeless by putting them in emergency accommodation whilst the country was battling this new virus. Whilst I was battling my own demons, this virus would turn my hell of being homeless, into the path of restarting my life again. Put into emergency accommodation in the Chatsworth Hotel, then placed at Lyndhurst Road by the help of Turning Tides, this was the biggest chance to reevaluate my entire life. I was able to think clearly with a warm bed, hot meals, the togetherness from people in the same situation as me. Being able to talk openly, express and pinpoint all of the problems which aren’t dealt with in communities that should be urgently resolved. Nobody deserves to suffer alone, to struggle without reaching out, to bottle everything up that destroys them, we are only human.
The Charity We Talk Together was born in May 2022. After months of this just being a thought, I wanted to make this dream a reality. I feel like it’s my calling in life trying to create this wonderful charity that will bring together those who fall through the cracks of this society by being let down by the underfunded services we all need so urgently. I want to be able to build, create and work together with the people who need help the most. By working together with local businesses, councillors, mayors, for all to come together, to put their services, ideas and uniqueness by growing such a strong community for all. By planning events, holding talk sessions, raising awareness, fundraising for what’s most important is the change we all need to catch those who fall through the cracks.
Heathers Hope is the name of this fundraiser, which has been dedicated to my mother. Not only did she struggle with her mental health in silence, she was also one of the many who sadly fell through them cracks.
By donating to this project, I plan to build a better community for all. All money raised will be put towards the foundation and growth of the people in this community, and the We Talk Together Charity. This will be able for me to build from the ground up. I plan to create Change The Narrative Mental Health start packs, which will be the first step of the journey you take with yourself, to know the real ins and outs of the help you need, wish to seek, and the information on what We Talk Together can offer. I want to be able to plan events, groups and build a foundation where you are able to have a regular space, and place where you can come together and reach out on the current struggles you find yourself in. I want to hold talks and build relationships with councillors, MP’s, businesses, locals, to experience the realness of the community and meet people who want to see change in the community by discussing all of the good, and all of the bad. I will help by planning ways to build information stations around West Sussex to provide information on where to turn for help.
Just like the dream of creating a charity, and turning this into reality. I have many plans and ideas to change the narrative and help all I can by spreading awareness for the people in need.
By donating I promise to give you constant updates of the charity and what we are planning, where the money will go, who the money will help, and the difference you will make.
Thank you so much for reading my story.
By coming together, working together, builds a better together when WE TALK TOGETHER.
Registered Charity Number: 14088848
This project successfully funded on 14th July 2022