A family from Derry were helped in their time of need and granted free emergency accommodation in Belfast when their son required emergency bowel surgery.
The Sweeney family found it incredibly difficult to find accommodation that would meet their complex needs. Their son requiring surgery is also autistic and their daughter has cerebral palsy.
As time went on it became increasingly difficult to find suitable accommodation.
Then Catherine McDyre, the company principle at House to Home Estate Agents, was referred to mum Orla after she posted on Facebook about the family's situation.
Catherine said she knew she had to help.
She said: "It was incredibly important that we helped. For such an important surgery, the family needed to stay together. This is only one family, there are other families that this is happening to. Especially after Covid, a lot more people are struggling with housing.
"We are getting calls, emails and texts from people. From professionals who have lost work and are struggling to pay their mortgages.
"We are a family-run business and we try to help people out where we can. In each one of our sales a percentage goes to a homeless charity in Belfast.
"Orla posted on Facebook that she was seeking accommodation. Someone recommended us to her and we had to make sure that we got her sorted out. We are all human and need to help each other where we can.
"We managed to get the family an apartment at Portland 88, owned by Conor McCullough from McCullough Estate Agents. They were a huge help in working with us to sort this family out."
Orla Sweeney told MyDerry about the stresses of seeking accommodation for her family, and how grateful she was to Catherine and her team for helping them when they were in need.
She said: “They took a lot of pressure off us, helping us out in the difficult situation we were in.
"Having two disabled children meant we were unable to leave one back at home so being able to stay together as a family during the time my child was in hospital meant everything.
"I wanted to thank Catherine for helping us out and to the owners of the property, we are forever grateful for what you have done."
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