“I want to place on record my deepest gratitude for the extraordinary support I received from the team at Marah during the most difficult period of my life.
Just before Christmas, due to serious ill health and circumstances entirely beyond my control, I found myself destitute and without anywhere safe to stay. When I arrived at the Scout Hut, I was met not with judgement, but with immediate kindness. I was given a hot meal, a sleeping bag, and food to sustain me over the following days — even small treats so that I would not feel forgotten at Christmas. Someone there also made a phone call on my behalf, and within hours I had secured temporary accommodation. By the very next day, I had somewhere warm, dry, and safe to sleep.
Since then, I have continued to visit both St. Albans Church and the Scout Hut, and each time I am welcomed, recognised, and treated with dignity. What stands out most is the atmosphere Marah has created: people greet you warmly, they remember you, and they genuinely care. That sense of being seen as a human being — not a problem — is life-changing when you are at your lowest.
I can say, without exaggeration or hesitation, that without Marah and the volunteers and trustees who give their time so generously, I would not be alive today. Their work is not just helpful — it is lifesaving.
Organisations like this are vital to the wellbeing of our community. They provide practical support, hope, and human connection to people who have nowhere else to turn. I hope they receive the recognition, protection, and funding they deserve so they can continue this essential work for others who, like me, find themselves in crisis.”