Robert’s story of survival and support

Aberdeen Cyrenians helps hundreds of people like 55 year old Robert Hutchinson from Aberdeen who credits us for helping him not only resolve housing, energy and financial issues but literally for saving his life.

Robert explains: “I was struggling to keep my head above water and a roof over my head. I was living alone in rented accommodation and it got to a point that I couldn’t see a way out. 

“I have a heart condition which means I have three stents in my heart which mean I struggle to walk far and my flat was on a first floor meant I wasn’t getting out much at all and I was sitting in alone and thinking things over – the stress just built up and up.

“For a wee while I’d been saving up the tablets I take for my heart and one day everything came to a head and I took them all at once. I don’t know why but then decided to go out for messages and found myself outside Aberdeen Cyrenians to get a food parcel. The lady I spoke to was so nice I told her what I had done and the next thing I knew I was in the back of an ambulance and then off to hospital for three days.”

That was 18 months ago and Aberdeen Cyrenians have been a big part of Robert’s life since then. He said: “I try and sort things out myself but if I have a problem I can’t fix then I know where to come – if they can’t help themselves then they put me in touch with the right people. A lot of these forms you have to fill are so hard – if you can’t word something right then they help you with that sort of stuff and it doesn’t sound much but it’s such a big thing. 

“They never judge you and sit and really listen to you and make you a cup of tea. I hope that they carry on doing what they are doing and help more people like me. I know that they are always here for me and if it wasn’t for them I literally wouldn’t be here to tell my story.”