Westbury woman's plea after depression reduces her to life in a tent (From Wiltshire Times)
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Westbury woman's plea after depression reduces her to life in a tent
8:00pm Friday 12th October 2012 in Westbury By Will Frampton
Mercedes Creed has been living out of two small tents in Westbury for the past two weeks
A former support worker from Westbury has been forced to sleep rough after becoming depressed when her patient suffered brain damage three years ago – a case which made national headlines.
Mercedes Creed, 49, and her five dogs, have been living out of two small tents and an old pram on common land for two weeks, just yards from her former home in Danvers Way.
And she is now pleading with Wiltshire Council to find her a permanent roof.
For 30 years she was a professional support worker, with her own home and a sports car, working for Allied Healthcare in Devizes.
That changed when an under-qualified nurse, Violetta Aylward, turned off Devizes plumber Jamie Merrett’s vent machine back in 2009, leaving him brain damaged.
Working as Mr Merrett’s support worker, she suffered post-traumatic shock as a result of the incident and was treated by her GP in Westbury, She has since been treated for depression, and believes her efforts to uncover those responsible for the tragedy cost her job.
“I was Jamie’s support worker and his last words before he slipped into a coma were my name. I was determined to get him justice, but those responsible got off and I stopped getting work,” she said.
“I was depressed and got put on medication, and it has just got worse and worse since.
“People think you have to be a crack addict or have a drink problem to end up homeless, but it happens to ordinary people and more quickly than you think.
“People who like living like this must be made of tougher stuff than me, yesterday I nearly froze to death.”
Ms Creed has lived in Westbury for 10 years, but since losing her job has had problems with private landlords.
She is now on Wiltshire Council’s housing list, but claims she may have to wait a long time for a home.
“I am on the housing list but the council can take up to two years,” she said.
“They have said I can’t stay here, but nothing about anywhere else I could go. I am not being separated from my dogs, they are my life.
“This is Britain for God’s sake, it is disgusting that people should have to live like this.
“All I want from life is somewhere I can live with my dogs and get my life back. I don’t care where or what it is like, I’m asking for a hand-up, not a hand-out.”
In the meantime she has been moved by the efforts of local residents to support her, providing food and useful equipment.
She said: “One man gave me his coat while he was walking his dog. They go shopping for me since I can’t leave my dogs, or bring out some of their dinner for me, and let me use their bathrooms. I have never come across such a sense of community before.”
A council spokesman said: “Wiltshire Council has been working with Miss Creed since becoming aware that she was at risk of losing her previous accommodation.
“We are actively pursuing a number of accommodation options with Miss Creed including privately rented and social properties.
“Unfortunately it can be difficult to locate a landlord willing to consider a tenant with pets, however we are committed to assisting Miss Creed.”
Comments(28)
redrum
says...
5:13am Sat 13 Oct 12
old 'arry
says...
5:38pm Sun 14 Oct 12
old 'arry
says...
5:41pm Sun 14 Oct 12
. This Lady doesn't have a lot going for her ...... she isn't an illegal immigrant or an Eastern European benefit scrounger. I wish her luck.
Manutd111
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7:57pm Sun 14 Oct 12
Why should she be given a house? I work hard to maintain a roof over my family's head. She needs to buck her ideas up, ditch some of the dogs (I have a dog, so I'm not heartless) as you will not find someone willing to rent to you.
We all fall on hard time and we make sacrifices to get back on track. She needs to take some responsibility for her own actions.
DaveHegarty
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2:35am Mon 15 Oct 12
Manutd111 wrote:Unfortunately this seems like it may be the solution. Understandably this will be hard for her, but the council can house people in her situation quickly sans pets.
5 dogs? No chance of housing.
Why should she be given a house? I work hard to maintain a roof over my family's head. She needs to buck her ideas up, ditch some of the dogs (I have a dog, so I'm not heartless) as you will not find someone willing to rent to you.
We all fall on hard time and we make sacrifices to get back on track. She needs to take some responsibility for her own actions.
notscot
says...
8:06am Mon 15 Oct 12
Manutd111 wrote:Hmmmmmm- think I'd rather give her a hand-up than the methadone-selling, thieving ratbags who infest the towns and social housing areas like cockroaches, leeching from the welfare fund their entire miserable lives. Or the chav loafers who simply breed from age 16 and become the 4th generation social misfit families who hold one hand out for their "rights" while using the other hand to stick 2 fingers up at the rights of others they infringe on a daily basis.
5 dogs? No chance of housing.
Why should she be given a house? I work hard to maintain a roof over my family's head. She needs to buck her ideas up, ditch some of the dogs (I have a dog, so I'm not heartless) as you will not find someone willing to rent to you.
We all fall on hard time and we make sacrifices to get back on track. She needs to take some responsibility for her own actions.
beetawix
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1:10pm Mon 15 Oct 12
10 out of 10 sir
beetawix
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1:14pm Mon 15 Oct 12
8:06am Mon 15 Oct 12
10 out of 10 sir
Mrs Donnyfly
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7:29pm Mon 15 Oct 12
notscot wrote:Kudos notscot.
Manutd111 wrote:Hmmmmmm- think I'd rather give her a hand-up than the methadone-selling, thieving ratbags who infest the towns and social housing areas like cockroaches, leeching from the welfare fund their entire miserable lives. Or the chav loafers who simply breed from age 16 and become the 4th generation social misfit families who hold one hand out for their "rights" while using the other hand to stick 2 fingers up at the rights of others they infringe on a daily basis.
5 dogs? No chance of housing.
Why should she be given a house? I work hard to maintain a roof over my family's head. She needs to buck her ideas up, ditch some of the dogs (I have a dog, so I'm not heartless) as you will not find someone willing to rent to you.
We all fall on hard time and we make sacrifices to get back on track. She needs to take some responsibility for her own actions.
mr snipper
says...
10:24pm Mon 15 Oct 12
notscot wrote:Ha ha ha! you've been to Trowbridge, then.I don't think they even wait until 16, do they?But then why work and save until you're in your mid 30's to afford to buy a home when popping out numerous nicotine/red bull/junk food/alcohol infused unwanted offspring gets you a nice warm, new-build house before you're even out of your teens (without ever having to get out of bed before 11 a.m.)? It's utterly sickening.
Manutd111 wrote:Hmmmmmm- think I'd rather give her a hand-up than the methadone-selling, thieving ratbags who infest the towns and social housing areas like cockroaches, leeching from the welfare fund their entire miserable lives. Or the chav loafers who simply breed from age 16 and become the 4th generation social misfit families who hold one hand out for their "rights" while using the other hand to stick 2 fingers up at the rights of others they infringe on a daily basis.
5 dogs? No chance of housing.
Why should she be given a house? I work hard to maintain a roof over my family's head. She needs to buck her ideas up, ditch some of the dogs (I have a dog, so I'm not heartless) as you will not find someone willing to rent to you.
We all fall on hard time and we make sacrifices to get back on track. She needs to take some responsibility for her own actions.
beetawix
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12:42am Tue 16 Oct 12
trowbridge52
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9:43am Tue 16 Oct 12
redrum wrote:i agree .
Renting with 1 or 2 dogs is possible but 5 may be hard. Even council properties may not allow this many dogs but i commend the fact you will not be parted with them, my dogs are my life as well now. I hope you find accomodation soon. I would be interested to know how many council properties are sitting empty. Also what you did blowing the whistle for that poor man was the right thing to do, i have had experience of this myself and know how hard it must of been.
trowbridge52
says...
9:51am Tue 16 Oct 12
mr snipper wrote:so all people in social housing are cockroaches are they, some of us have never been in the position to be able to afford to buy our own homes, and not all of us are scroungers or social misfits, some of us have worked and are still working though i am one of those scroungers under your terms , i have worked for a lot of my life until i got diagnosed with a mental health problem, which i did not ask to have, so before you brush all of us with the same brush remember some of us do not have and never have had the money to buy.
notscot wrote:Ha ha ha! you've been to Trowbridge, then.I don't think they even wait until 16, do they?But then why work and save until you're in your mid 30's to afford to buy a home when popping out numerous nicotine/red bull/junk food/alcohol infused unwanted offspring gets you a nice warm, new-build house before you're even out of your teens (without ever having to get out of bed before 11 a.m.)? It's utterly sickening.
Manutd111 wrote:Hmmmmmm- think I'd rather give her a hand-up than the methadone-selling, thieving ratbags who infest the towns and social housing areas like cockroaches, leeching from the welfare fund their entire miserable lives. Or the chav loafers who simply breed from age 16 and become the 4th generation social misfit families who hold one hand out for their "rights" while using the other hand to stick 2 fingers up at the rights of others they infringe on a daily basis.
5 dogs? No chance of housing.
Why should she be given a house? I work hard to maintain a roof over my family's head. She needs to buck her ideas up, ditch some of the dogs (I have a dog, so I'm not heartless) as you will not find someone willing to rent to you.
We all fall on hard time and we make sacrifices to get back on track. She needs to take some responsibility for her own actions.
trowbridge52
says...
9:56am Tue 16 Oct 12
Manutd111 wrote:If you read what is said she was a very hard working lady, who through no fault of her own ended up in this position, depression is not something you ask for it happens, aso if you think she should of had more responsibility to not get depression , I hope it strikes you one day, then lets see how you find it so easy to get out of it, the council have lods of empty properties and she should be offered them, it is quite obvious her dogs give her great support so if they were taken how do you think she would feel, its appalling she is being left to live like this and i feel empathy with her in this position, come on housing give her a place to live she deserves it .
5 dogs? No chance of housing.
Why should she be given a house? I work hard to maintain a roof over my family's head. She needs to buck her ideas up, ditch some of the dogs (I have a dog, so I'm not heartless) as you will not find someone willing to rent to you.
We all fall on hard time and we make sacrifices to get back on track. She needs to take some responsibility for her own actions.
notscot
says...
12:19pm Tue 16 Oct 12
trowbridge52 wrote:If you'regoing to comment about my remarks - have the guts to tell the truth. Saving that - if you can't comprehend what you read - have an adult explain it. I spoke of "methadone-selling, thieving ratbags who infest the towns and social housing areas like cockroaches, leeching from the welfare fund their entire miserable lives"
mr snipper wrote:so all people in social housing are cockroaches are they, some of us have never been in the position to be able to afford to buy our own homes, and not all of us are scroungers or social misfits, some of us have worked and are still working though i am one of those scroungers under your terms , i have worked for a lot of my life until i got diagnosed with a mental health problem, which i did not ask to have, so before you brush all of us with the same brush remember some of us do not have and never have had the money to buy.
notscot wrote:Ha ha ha! you've been to Trowbridge, then.I don't think they even wait until 16, do they?But then why work and save until you're in your mid 30's to afford to buy a home when popping out numerous nicotine/red bull/junk food/alcohol infused unwanted offspring gets you a nice warm, new-build house before you're even out of your teens (without ever having to get out of bed before 11 a.m.)? It's utterly sickening.
Manutd111 wrote:Hmmmmmm- think I'd rather give her a hand-up than the methadone-selling, thieving ratbags who infest the towns and social housing areas like cockroaches, leeching from the welfare fund their entire miserable lives. Or the chav loafers who simply breed from age 16 and become the 4th generation social misfit families who hold one hand out for their "rights" while using the other hand to stick 2 fingers up at the rights of others they infringe on a daily basis.
5 dogs? No chance of housing.
Why should she be given a house? I work hard to maintain a roof over my family's head. She needs to buck her ideas up, ditch some of the dogs (I have a dog, so I'm not heartless) as you will not find someone willing to rent to you.
We all fall on hard time and we make sacrifices to get back on track. She needs to take some responsibility for her own actions.
So - where does that say that all social housinf tenants are cockroaches? It doesn't, does it?
I also wrote: "Or the chav loafers who simply breed from age 16 and become the 4th generation social misfit families who hold one hand out for their "rights" while using the other hand to stick 2 fingers up at the rights of others they infringe on a daily basis." And THAT doesn't say all social housing tenants are scroungers and misfits either, does it?
Being a bit of a numpty, to say the least, aren't you?
notscot
says...
1:15pm Tue 16 Oct 12
trowbridge52
says...
3:49pm Tue 16 Oct 12
notscot wrote:I am adult enough to unerstand you and as i was not the only one who assumed you meant all people in social housing maybe you ought to read all the comments again, and i made a spelling mistake instead of loads i put lods apologies for my inadequate spellin Mr Perfect notscot.
trowbridge52 wrote:If you'regoing to comment about my remarks - have the guts to tell the truth. Saving that - if you can't comprehend what you read - have an adult explain it. I spoke of "methadone-selling, thieving ratbags who infest the towns and social housing areas like cockroaches, leeching from the welfare fund their entire miserable lives"
mr snipper wrote:so all people in social housing are cockroaches are they, some of us have never been in the position to be able to afford to buy our own homes, and not all of us are scroungers or social misfits, some of us have worked and are still working though i am one of those scroungers under your terms , i have worked for a lot of my life until i got diagnosed with a mental health problem, which i did not ask to have, so before you brush all of us with the same brush remember some of us do not have and never have had the money to buy.
notscot wrote:Ha ha ha! you've been to Trowbridge, then.I don't think they even wait until 16, do they?But then why work and save until you're in your mid 30's to afford to buy a home when popping out numerous nicotine/red bull/junk food/alcohol infused unwanted offspring gets you a nice warm, new-build house before you're even out of your teens (without ever having to get out of bed before 11 a.m.)? It's utterly sickening.
Manutd111 wrote:Hmmmmmm- think I'd rather give her a hand-up than the methadone-selling, thieving ratbags who infest the towns and social housing areas like cockroaches, leeching from the welfare fund their entire miserable lives. Or the chav loafers who simply breed from age 16 and become the 4th generation social misfit families who hold one hand out for their "rights" while using the other hand to stick 2 fingers up at the rights of others they infringe on a daily basis.
5 dogs? No chance of housing.
Why should she be given a house? I work hard to maintain a roof over my family's head. She needs to buck her ideas up, ditch some of the dogs (I have a dog, so I'm not heartless) as you will not find someone willing to rent to you.
We all fall on hard time and we make sacrifices to get back on track. She needs to take some responsibility for her own actions.
So - where does that say that all social housinf tenants are cockroaches? It doesn't, does it?
I also wrote: "Or the chav loafers who simply breed from age 16 and become the 4th generation social misfit families who hold one hand out for their "rights" while using the other hand to stick 2 fingers up at the rights of others they infringe on a daily basis." And THAT doesn't say all social housing tenants are scroungers and misfits either, does it?
Being a bit of a numpty, to say the least, aren't you?
trowbridge52
says...
3:52pm Tue 16 Oct 12
notscot wrote:who has spelt the word housing wrong as all you seem to do it pick up mistakes. Numpty!
Yes - housing is spelt "housing", not housinf. Doh!
notscot
says...
6:40pm Tue 16 Oct 12
trowbridge52 wrote:Wah ha ha ha ha ha!!!!
notscot wrote:who has spelt the word housing wrong as all you seem to do it pick up mistakes. Numpty!
Yes - housing is spelt "housing", not housinf. Doh!
Who STARTED the "spellcheck"? Who are the grammar(grammer!) police?
Not me - numpty.
Someone got really condescending about the grammar in a post - really wasn't necessary - so I pointed out the mistake in their post.
Then I pointed out my own mistake.
Perhaps you're unable to comprehend what you read - or it's too much effort to follow the entire thread. No matter - you're not alone.
notscot
says...
6:46pm Tue 16 Oct 12
trowbridge52 wrote:You ARE the only one who thought I was talking about ALL social housing tenants - because you didn't read my post properly.
notscot wrote:I am adult enough to unerstand you and as i was not the only one who assumed you meant all people in social housing maybe you ought to read all the comments again, and i made a spelling mistake instead of loads i put lods apologies for my inadequate spellin Mr Perfect notscot.
trowbridge52 wrote:If you'regoing to comment about my remarks - have the guts to tell the truth. Saving that - if you can't comprehend what you read - have an adult explain it. I spoke of "methadone-selling, thieving ratbags who infest the towns and social housing areas like cockroaches, leeching from the welfare fund their entire miserable lives"
mr snipper wrote:so all people in social housing are cockroaches are they, some of us have never been in the position to be able to afford to buy our own homes, and not all of us are scroungers or social misfits, some of us have worked and are still working though i am one of those scroungers under your terms , i have worked for a lot of my life until i got diagnosed with a mental health problem, which i did not ask to have, so before you brush all of us with the same brush remember some of us do not have and never have had the money to buy.
notscot wrote:Ha ha ha! you've been to Trowbridge, then.I don't think they even wait until 16, do they?But then why work and save until you're in your mid 30's to afford to buy a home when popping out numerous nicotine/red bull/junk food/alcohol infused unwanted offspring gets you a nice warm, new-build house before you're even out of your teens (without ever having to get out of bed before 11 a.m.)? It's utterly sickening.
Manutd111 wrote:Hmmmmmm- think I'd rather give her a hand-up than the methadone-selling, thieving ratbags who infest the towns and social housing areas like cockroaches, leeching from the welfare fund their entire miserable lives. Or the chav loafers who simply breed from age 16 and become the 4th generation social misfit families who hold one hand out for their "rights" while using the other hand to stick 2 fingers up at the rights of others they infringe on a daily basis.
5 dogs? No chance of housing.
Why should she be given a house? I work hard to maintain a roof over my family's head. She needs to buck her ideas up, ditch some of the dogs (I have a dog, so I'm not heartless) as you will not find someone willing to rent to you.
We all fall on hard time and we make sacrifices to get back on track. She needs to take some responsibility for her own actions.
So - where does that say that all social housinf tenants are cockroaches? It doesn't, does it?
I also wrote: "Or the chav loafers who simply breed from age 16 and become the 4th generation social misfit families who hold one hand out for their "rights" while using the other hand to stick 2 fingers up at the rights of others they infringe on a daily basis." And THAT doesn't say all social housing tenants are scroungers and misfits either, does it?
Being a bit of a numpty, to say the least, aren't you?
And what the heck does: "and i made a spelling mistake instead of loads i put lods apologies for my inadequate spellin Mr Perfect notscot."
Now I'm looking for any remark I made about your spelling - I can't find that either!!!
Mate - read the darn comments PROPERLY before you make a numpty of yourself - AGAIN!!
notscot
says...
6:48pm Tue 16 Oct 12
mr snipper
says...
10:33pm Tue 16 Oct 12
beetawix wrote:Hardly, I was fairly specific.
mr snipper are you tarring the entire town of Trowbridge with the same abusive brush? if so you are being ridiculous and if you are sickened by your own false imaginings then....well I don't know what.
mr snipper
says...
10:35pm Tue 16 Oct 12
beetawix wrote:Hardly, I was fairly specific.
mr snipper are you tarring the entire town of Trowbridge with the same abusive brush? if so you are being ridiculous and if you are sickened by your own false imaginings then....well I don't know what.
18Years
says...
12:53am Thu 18 Oct 12
mr snipper wrote:I didn't feel you were fairly specific as that seemed to me like you were attacking all young parents in Trowbridge. I had my daughter when I was 19, have always worked at least 30 hours a week and have never lived in a council house, I've always rented my own. And guess what? I live in Trowbridge, and I also know a lot of young parents with a similar work ethic to me. It's not all about age, it's about the kind of work ethic you have... So be more specific, and don't tar us all with the same brush.
beetawix wrote: mr snipper are you tarring the entire town of Trowbridge with the same abusive brush? if so you are being ridiculous and if you are sickened by your own false imaginings then....well I don't know what.Hardly, I was fairly specific.
notscot
says...
9:01am Thu 18 Oct 12
18Years wrote:Beetawix didn't.
mr snipper wrote:I didn't feel you were fairly specific as that seemed to me like you were attacking all young parents in Trowbridge. I had my daughter when I was 19, have always worked at least 30 hours a week and have never lived in a council house, I've always rented my own. And guess what? I live in Trowbridge, and I also know a lot of young parents with a similar work ethic to me. It's not all about age, it's about the kind of work ethic you have... So be more specific, and don't tar us all with the same brush.
beetawix wrote: mr snipper are you tarring the entire town of Trowbridge with the same abusive brush? if so you are being ridiculous and if you are sickened by your own false imaginings then....well I don't know what.Hardly, I was fairly specific.
weasels ripped my flesh
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12:36pm Thu 18 Oct 12
Nikineve@btinternet.com
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8:27pm Sat 20 Oct 12
babe1963 says...
10:09pm Fri 12 Oct 12