From sleeping rough to giving advice to Prince William

Sabrina Cohen-Hatton went from sleeping rough as a teenager to visiting the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle to offer him advice on tackling homelessness.

She was able to give her own story to Prince William as proof that homeless people should not be “erased”.

“I’m standing in front of you now with a job, a house, a family and a doctorate,” said Sabrina, who works as a fire chief.

Prince William marked the first year of his Homewards project with a visit to Lambeth, south London, where he promised: “It is possible to end homelessness.”

The prince sent the message that there is nothing inevitable about homelessness and that it should not be normalised.

Meeting Homewards representatives in Brixton, he said: “Homelessness is a complex societal problem and one that affects the lives of far too many people in our society. However, I truly believe it can be ended.”

He spoke of the importance of “changing perspectives” about homelessness and the need to “focus on prevention rather than simply managing the crisis”.

Homewards is a five-year project based in six areas of the UK.

This includes Newport in South Wales – and as a 15- and 16-year-old, it was where Sabrina slept rough, following the death of a parent and problems at home.

Her way out was selling the Big Issue – “I credit them with saving my life” – and once she had secure accommodation she managed to get a job in the fire service, which became her career.

She used this “lived experience” to tell Prince William and the Homewards project what was needed.

“There were a lot of doors closed to me,” she said. Even when support was meant to be available, she said, in practice it could be hard for homeless people to have the confidence to access it.

Or there may be practical barriers. She said she relied on her dog, named Menace, but many hostels didn’t let people stay with pets.

Sabrina also warned that homelessness is linked to the “pernicious” long-term impact of poverty.

She went on to become West Sussex’s Chief Fire Officer and spoke at length about her own journey, including this latest role as a Homewards advocate.

Sabrina said Prince William had shown a lot of “empathy” towards the issue of homelessness, which she suggested reflected some of the “trauma” in his early life.

At the event in Brixton, Sabrina spoke alongside Chris Lynam, who recalled the intense “loneliness” that accompanied his own homelessness and drug addiction.

“It’s a very isolating experience… society is quite hostile to homelessness,” said Chris, who now supports Homewards’ work in Sheffield.

Prince William described it as an “honour” to hear Chris talk about his experiences.