‘How I was saved from a life of homelessness and self-hatred’

Charlotte Armstrong, CEO of Too Glam, on how The Marylebone Project saved her from homelessness

Former resident of The Marylebone project and CEO of Too Glam Charlotte Armstrong (Justin Goff/goffphotos.com)

The Marylebone Project saved me from the streets, gave me back my self-respect and restored my mental health. It provides 112 long and short term beds to homeless women, offering essential facilities, support, education, employment and training opportunities  in order to support service users into independent living.

When I look back six years ago to where I am today it seems so unbelievable. I had survived foster care (just!) and then fell into a series of abusive relationships and agonising self-doubt.

When I arrived at the Marylebone Project I was completely broken; I had left my children with family and I had spiralled into a bad place, self-medicating to feel numb and my mental health was at rock bottom. My final homage to my sanity was  shaving off my hair in a fit of self-hating hysteria.

Now healthy and mentally well-balanced, I can see that this is a real problem in our society. We are only just allowing people to speak about their mental fragility which, while being a good thing, we must do more to help.

The brain is a delicate thing and we have only just scratched the surface of understanding the impact trauma, abuse and neglect has on our mental well-being, on our confidence and self-esteem.

Everyone has a breaking point and I had mine. If it had not been for the Marylebone Project who took me in, cleaned me up, gave me my own room and helped me get the help I needed I would surely not be here now.

All the staff and volunteers treated us with respect, gave all the women a shoulder to cry on in the beginning then encouraged us  to search inside ourselves to find our interests and take the steps we needed to fulfil our dreams. Most of us just dreamt of stability again..

When COVID-19 hit we saw the Government find billions, but most of the shelters and small charities have been dismissed and ignored which in my opinion is outrageous.

The  Marylebone Project gave me time to heal myself in a safe environment. Places like this need our support and money and Government backing because places like the Marylebone Project save women.

I grew in health and confidence and left with my head held high. Now five years later I’m in a position to give my help to women like me knocking on the same door and in the same situation.

People in need with mental health problems do not need judging, sour faces and shame, they don’t need to feel embarrassment and to feel like failures, with the right help we can all shine whatever we end up doing in life.

We don’t need to have a stiff upper lip anymore Covid has surely taught us this  and though it’s been devastating it's also brought back in some small way kindness, community and empathy again to our country, let's keep that going.

I will  donating all the proceeds from my Too Glam hand sanitiser to the Marylebone Project.