Some of you may have read a few of my facebook posts about Rodney... i met him a year ago on my way home from work in Woolwich. His kind, sad eyes compelled me to stop and ask his story - he looked so awkward curled up on the pavement.

He was brought up by his grandmother and while he was away at university, she tragically passed away. From the shock, he fell into depression, became mute and dropped out of uni. He was admitted into Oxleas Mental Health unit at Queen Elizabeth Hospital and treated there with little improvement. A few months later, he decided to take charge of his recovery and discharge himself from hospital care thinking he could live in his grandmother's house and get back on his feet. Unfortunately, the council repossessed the house and placed someone else in need in the property. Rodney was no longer the responsibility of the hospital or council due to self- discharge, and being a young male is low on the priority list to be housed. He had no where to go but the streets.

In the year that I've had contact with him, he has been mugged, stabbed, urinated on, verbally abused and probably more he has been too embarassed or ashamed to share. He's managed to get a couple of 'cash in hand' jobs with accomodation but nothing long enough or paid well enough to help long term - it just gets him off the streets and food in his belly for a couple of days. Who knows how safe it's been either.

All I want is to raise enough money to help him secure a room to rent and get him on his feet so he has a permanent address. This way he can start to look for work and break the vicious cycle he's stuck in.

He's a well spoken, capable lad who has found himself in such unfortunate circumstances and can't seem to navigate his way out... he's losing hope. Please help me help him.