Donald Jarrett admits he’s had his fair share of problems. But he also knows that were it not for the dedicated team at St George’s Crypt, he would most likely be dead.
Donald, 57, is one of hundreds of homeless and destitute people helped by the charity, which provides bed spaces for the city centre’s homeless, as well as running a soup kitchen and various support projects.
In the past three years, the Crypt has seen the numbers of nightly bed spaces it provides every month shoot up.
In December 2009, for example, it provided 546 bed spaces. The figures had rocketed to 931 for December 2012.
Donald, originally from Seacroft, first landed at the Crypt’s door 10 years ago, suffering from alcohol abuse issues fuelled by a family breakdown.
Since then he has been in and out of the city centre building, which has recently had a £1 million refurbishment.
“I ended up homeless after my divorce and started drinking and getting into trouble,” Donald, a father and grandfather, said.
“I was living under bridges and in squats, and was in and out of prison. Four years ago I was even given an ASBO and told not to drink anywhere in Leeds.
“I came here after hearing about the Crypt from word of mouth on the streets.
“They fed me and put me up many a time.”
Donald admits his problems have not gone away, and he has often slipped back into drink and emotional issues. But he believes the patience and continued support of staff at the Crypt has finally led to a turning point.
Nowadays he is a volunteer at the centre, and helps out with delivering food to church projects and to the elderly and vulnerable.
“They never gave up on me” he said of the Crypt’s staff. “I was living life through a blur before, and through the bottom of a bottle.
“I am facing reality now and on the right track.
“The Crypt’s staff are my very close friends now, and my colleagues too.
“They definitely saved my life.
“There would be a lot more dead people in the city centre if it were not for them, me included.”
Donald added that through his voluntary work, he is “trying to give a bit back for all the help they have given me over the years”.
St George’s Crypt has been going for more than 80 years. It was founded by Rev Percy Donald Robins in the 1930s as a response to the effects of the Great Depression, and even served as an air raid shelter at one point.
Historic records show that the first £3 ever raised for the Crypt was spent on canvas to cover the coffins of the poor.
Nowadays the Crypt is accommodating 27 people every night and around 80 people per day use its drop-in centre.
Comments