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Private Notes
Swansea: Return to the Streets continues the compelling and heartbreaking stories of the homeless in Swansea. Filmmakers Chris Rushton and Tracy Harris now want to catch up with some of those they have filmed over a period that now spans three years, and follow new stories of those who have no choice but to live on the streets. Paul is a homeless drifter who left home at the age of 14. Now he's just turned 50 and he takes the first step to contact his long-lost family and discovers the tragic news that his mother died six years ago. Andy is one of Swansea's long-term street alcoholics who drinks to blank out the harsh reality of sleeping rough. He's been away in Rotherham to a rehab unit and after six months, he was off the booze for the first time in 15 years. But after a relapse, Andy's right back where he started, living on the streets and trying to sort his life out. Barry's just been released from prison. He can't go back to his family in the valleys so ends up living on Swansea's streets. After being cooped up in jail for three years, he goes on a massive drinking binge and then has to battle to prevent himself slipping into alcoholism. Tim, who is 57, has a life-threatening illness, he's been told he has six months to live. But luckily he's now got his own place in supported accommodation. Yet bizarrely, Tim's still choosing to sleep rough on the streets because he can't get used to life indoors.
The images of Tracie, an alcoholic sleeping alone in a tunnel under Swansea railway station shocked viewers two years ago. Now we catch up with her at a faith-based centre in Wales where for 18 months she's been battling with her addiction, and she's made an astonishing transformation. Andy did seven months in rehab to see if he could overcome 20 years of addiction to alcohol, but he relapsed. He's managed to get a shared rented house with his new friend Barry. But the house has problems, the heating is not working properly and they're facing Christmas with no working cooker. For six weeks Wally has been sleeping in an abandoned building yet he has no money in the bank. He has made the challenge of being homeless into a crazy game, conjuring up a version of the top trumps card game. He calls it 'Top Tramping'. So, favourite things like fast cars are replaced with homeless characters who are the Top Tramps. Apparently you get points for beg-ability, stink-ability and tramp-ability!
In this final episode filmed in the week before Christmas 2013, most of the homeless living on Swansea's streets are desperate to find shelter. We discover Dean sleeping rough in the rain with a broken leg, he is disorientated and suffering from memory loss. Dan has a debilitating mental illness and is struggling to find a place to stay before the agencies that help the homeless shut up shop for the Christmas holiday. Then to make matters worse for those on the streets came some of the stormiest and wettest weather on record. 57-year-old Tim, who has a life-threatening illness, is still out on Chirstmas Eve huddled by a vent, the only source of warmth in the city centre. But there's some Christmas cheer. Three years ago we met homeless drifter Paul in Swansea, he has spent most of his life travelling around Britain. He revealed how he'd lost contact with his family and wanted to find them again. Finally, just days before Christmas, Paul and his two sisters are reunited after 25 years of separation in a poignant and emotional meeting.
