After four years of rough sleeping Ryan Jones, 35, is looking to study psychology at university. He tells Maryam Qaiser how losing his mum caused his life to unravel.
I moved to Leeds from Halifax after the death of my mum, Katherine, because I didn't have any ties keeping me to Halifax and there were too many bad memories.
Losing my mum was the lowest point in my life, it used to be just me and my mum. After she passed away, I just became very lonely.
When I first arrived in Leeds I was told I couldn't get a place to live because I wasn't from here. I had been on the streets for four years. I had no family. I was really struggling, mentally more than anything.
About two months ago I was offered a place to live. When I moved in there was nothing, no running water, no carpets, no furniture, but volunteers from Homeless Street Angels transformed it for me. They gave me furniture and a TV.
I am currently receiving ESA benefit, which is £162 a fortnight but this goes on bills, rent and food, which means I am not left with much. That is one of the reasons I get support from Homeless Street Angels and I get a food parcel each week.
When I was living on the streets, I would never ask anyone for help, it was pride thing.
I am now looking to go to university to study psychology, it will give me something to focus on, meet people and hopefully I can get a job in this field.
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