Andrew – Guest

Andrew has been visiting new FoodCycle Project, Walsall since it opened at the end of the summer. Every week he has come and recently started dressing up for the occasion wearing a suit jacket.

“Hello, my name is Andrew McIntyre. I’m currently not in employment at the moment, currently doing the job search. I’ve had my flat almost 6 years after being homeless, and from the day I moved in my flat I have been up against it financially, it’s a struggle. Being a single man with no dependents I feel there isn’t much support out there. So, it is just a matter of surviving day by day.

Come across this service FoodCycle and it is nice that they offer the meal and the service that they do. But over and above the food side of it, I like the companionship of meeting people socially and having a chat because most weeks I don’t see anybody. From the social aspect it is very warming. And the bonus of having the food takeaway parcels keeps me going for an extra couple of days, and it is all very much appreciated.

There’s only me and I am not fussy with what I eat, I keep myself on food by just spending around £14 a week. I’m comfortable with that and feeding myself isn’t really an issue. It’s all the other bills that I fall behind with, that you get under pressure with. But I have learnt in life not to let it bother me. I have done in the past and it can weigh heavy on you and it can affect your mental wellbeing. But I have learnt through having my break down that I had years ago. I had a long conversation with a gentleman from the Samaritans, who stopped me doing something silly and he spoke to me on the phone for over an hour. He said things to me that I’ve never forgot. If you ever have a bad day or if things aren’t going well, I sit there and reflect on what he said and I’m fine.”