Interview with Alan - Fife

'Salmond says he wants a conversation. I'm up for that'

Name: Alan Gailey
Age: 28
Pitch: Leven High St, Fife

I would like the chance to tell the politicians a thing or two about homelessness. Some of them have come to the High Street here and just spoken to the buskers, but ignored us. I am one of the invisible homeless in Scotland. Alex Salmond says he wants a conversation. I'm up for that.

I've only been homeless since I came up to Scotland about three years ago, so I don't know what its like to be homeless down in England. I used to stay with my mum in Stoke on Trent but she's moved away. My dad, granny, grandad, cousins, aunties, uncles and my sister all live up here. So I came up to be near them. I've just managed to get a flat, so I'm doing The Big Issue to get things for the flat. I've just got a couch, a TV and a microwave and a mattress to sleep on. That's all.  

It's taken three years to get the flat and I'm really happy. I was sleeping on the streets before then, in caravans and in friends houses. When I was sleeping rough it was bad. I suffered from a bad chest plus I've got mental health problems so it didn't help with that either. I was in and out of hospital when I was on the streets but I've got medication so that helps. I'm all right now.

I have schizophrenia so I hear voices and have illusions sometimes. Sleeping on the streets definitely made my symptoms worse.  You're sitting there and you're cold and you don't know what to do and your head just goes off into its own wee world and my voices become clearer. I was self harming a lot at one time, but I'm not any more.

 Now I'm confident I can keep in good health. I've got support workers who help me.  I've had a lot of help from other people and my dad helps me a lot. The Richmond Fellowship is great and Cornerstone in Leven gave me a sleeping bag when things were at their worst. Also, I've got a good community psychiatric nurse I can talk to.

My first job in England was as a painter and decorator. I really enjoyed that. If I get enough money, I'm going to do my flat in different shades of green. I like green and I know how to paint properly. My boss was quite good at teaching. I'm an artist. I like to paint and I might put a mural on the wall. I do landscapes or portraits. Anything really. I can draw anything.

The Big Issue is good for helping homeless people and it's the real news that's in it. It's not like the tabloids which is all about celebrities and that. It gives you a good insight into the world.

There's real news in The Big Issue - that's why I like to read it. When everything is all sorted I would like to find a nice woman and settle down. Maybe have some kids. It'll take a while I think.

 

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