Beneath the church lay the Crypt, full of vaults, coffins and walls gaping with holes making it look more like a connect 4 board. It was here that ‘Don’ was to meet his challenge.
Nearly 80 years on and the vision of Don remains - an inspirational symbol of good-will, compassion and generosity - a solace for a marginalised, neglected and often desperate society.
St. Georges Crypt provides unconditional support for Leeds’ homeless. Unsurprisingly many here will ‘possess’ a significant drink problem. Alcoholism remains as significant aspect of any fringe society as it did back at the Crypt’s beginning - a destroyer of relationships, of families and households, of jobs and future dreams, of a person’s mental and physical capability and ultimately, a destroyer of a life itself.
For many, prejudiced away from our ‘civilised’ community these voluntary organisations become their only refuge. Homelessness is the downfall of modern civilisation for those most unfortunate – a downfall which is now so recognised and integrated into society that, day to day, it goes largely unregistered.
But homelessness is about more than just begging and it is more than simply not having a home. It is about the loss of self-pride, of self-esteem and of self-respect, all of which are beaten and bullied out of a person by narrow minded prejudice of the ‘accepted’ members of society. And it is this which makes homelessness so fertile for people to fall ever deeper into its murky shadows, closing off their emotions, losing conscientiousness and distancing themselves from personal responsibility.
There will be over 1,600 people sleep rough in England tonight. Around 1 in 16 hospital admission this year will be related to alcohol abuse and it is thought that in Leeds alone, over 25,000 battle every day with some form of alcohol enslavement.
Figures however, no matter how shocking or disturbing are only two-dimensional. To find the emotion and reality behind the numbers you have to search out the individuality - to do so, to talk to these people and absorb their experiences offers one of the greatest commentaries of modern society. To analyse their lives and understand their feelings provides a wonderful insight in to intricacies of our community’s dirty underbelly.
For homeless people are not different breeds of person. These people were not born to be homeless. Many have once been respected members of society, moralistic and proud, working nine to fives and earning an honest living. Many are or once were free-thinking independent minds with nearly 20% possessing A-Levels.
In my time spent researching this topic, I have been fortunate enough to spend some time with a man named Russell. His story quickly confirmed to me my naivety in the subject. A simple interview at first, I expected it to take no longer than ten minutes. An hour and half later we were still discussing his descent from society and fight back into civilisation.
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Realising his childhood dream, at 16 Russell joined the Royal Marines. His job took him around the world; colleagues became the closest of friends with camaraderie and boozing going hand in hand.
It was during this time Russell learnt of his ability to out drink many others - a feat which when you see his slightly smaller than average build, understandably gave elevation of his reputation to near hero status.
Seven years in however and Russell was discharged following a road traffic accident - deemed unfit to continue his military adventure. Having left school only one month before enrolment, he had very little preparation for life in the ‘real world.’
Russell remained near the barracks in Devon with a local lady who he would later marry, but living close enough to old foes meant that the despair at losing the career he loved, mixed with the lack of discipline, obligation and responsibility in his new life meant drinking would begin to dominate. It soon got to a point where his wife called it a day.
Having moved back up to Leeds, found a good job and a new lady, alcohol began taking grip again. A couple of drinks after work turned in to a bottle of White Lightning for breakfast. Russell’s life eroded around him until he was left with nothing but what he could carry. Drifting from psychiatric wards for suicidal depression, to alcohol rehabilitation centres, Russell began the life of a homeless person - sleeping in alleyways, underneath arches and hidden between discarded old carpets in skips before eventually discovering the St. Georges.
After a few months, spending his days reading in the city library before trudging over at night to take his spot on the canteen floor to spend the night, Russell was moved to Regent Terrace – a wet house run by St. Georges where residents can drink to their hearts contend in a safe, controlled environment. Russell flourished in this new lifestyle, downing up to 16 litres of white cider a day before eventually becoming so sick his skin turned a light shade of Colman’s mustard. Waking up two weeks later from his coma, he was told he was often considered hours away from death.
It was two and half months before Russell was to be released.
So what does any of this show? Well obviously everyone is different and so what worked for Russell may not be the right method for another. Russell was helped significantly by his past. He was raised in a stable and loving family, and is adamant that is was the morals and politeness installed in him as a child which allowed him to continue to communicate effectively with those helping him. For example, be it his charm or just peoples general fondness for him, but staff at the Crypt has given him a saxophone and a car, purely through acts of kindness and goodwill. Russell was constantly given something to aspire to, given something to think about and a reason to battle his way out.
This highlights the importance of support, understanding and acceptance. Shunned by the public as scum, the attitude the public aggresses against these people creates one of the largest obstacles pinning them into this shadowy and empty lifestyle. It is only those professionally trained who ever look beyond the tatty clothes and mangled hair and provide a release from the demoralisation.
Lastly, a person will drink for as long as they wish to drink. Just like a drug addict, a smoker or even a chocoholic, for as long as a person enjoys, accepts and respects their vice, they will continue with it. Only when a person’s heart wants out will the brain respond. Russell was never ready to quit those first times in rehab and especially wasn’t when he was on his 16th bottle for the day. But it requires patience, both from them and from those there to help, to be there when the person reaches their turning. The point where enough genuinely does become enough. And for Russell the crypt was by his side the whole way.
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