I also went on to use the Free Shop and join trips, and I volunteered at ABC open days for two years in a row. The trips helped me forget what I was thinking about and feel engaged with what I was doing in that moment. The same was true of football. It shifted my focus away from my problems and onto something positive.
There is nothing I asked for that ABC didn't do. Through ABC football, I found an opportunity to play for a local team in Bristol, and that team helped me with my housing issues.
Other organisations also supported me. BRR helped through social mornings and breakfasts, provided a SIM card, and helped me access government funding for my degree. BHN helped me get a bike.
Now, I am not feeling the way I felt before. I feel relaxed and mentally much better. I no longer worry about socialising because I have those connections now. My situation is good. I have everything I need. I am going to university, working, and life goes on. I am in a much better and more stable position than I was before.
If I were to sum up ABC in a few words, I would say they are just there when you need them. When I needed football, ABC was there. When I needed clothes, ABC was there. When I needed connections, ABC was there. Almost every connection I have made so far started with ABC.
Ivan’s Testimonial
Before I came to ABC football in September 2023, I was bored in the hotel, not doing any activities and not socialising. I felt lonely and idle. I first heard about ABC through a flyer on a noticeboard in the hotel and decided to come along to football.
ABC did a lot for me. It took me from being idle to doing something, from being lonely to finding friends, and from not knowing places to finding places. Through football, trips and other activities, I was able to make connections with other people in Bristol. ABC also helped me when I had problems with homelessness.
Being involved with ABC made me feel like I was integrating well. I felt like I was in an inclusive environment where I could meet people freely and feel part of the community.
