0:00:02 > 0:00:06This programme contains strong language.
0:00:06 > 0:00:10Sleeping rough is becoming a reality for more and more people in Wales.
0:00:10 > 0:00:14The number of homeless are on the increase,
0:00:14 > 0:00:16and now they exceed 10,000.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21I never though this would happen to me. Never.
0:00:21 > 0:00:25I wanted to discover why people became homeless,
0:00:25 > 0:00:27how they manage to survive,
0:00:27 > 0:00:32and why the largest numbers of homeless people are found here in Swansea.
0:00:32 > 0:00:37For some, the only option is to try and survive on the streets.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40If you're strong minded, then you can do it.
0:00:40 > 0:00:45If you're not strong minded, then the only thing you'll end up doing is,
0:00:45 > 0:00:46you'll end up in a box.
0:00:48 > 0:00:52And following the lives of those with nowhere else to go
0:00:52 > 0:00:54would prove to be an upsetting story.
0:01:07 > 0:01:11Filmed over three months in the run-up to Christmas,
0:01:11 > 0:01:14the toughest time of the year for the homeless,
0:01:14 > 0:01:17this is the reality of living on Swansea's streets.
0:01:23 > 0:01:28There's no simple reason as to why Swansea has become a magnet for homeless people.
0:01:28 > 0:01:33They come from across Britain, from the surrounding valleys, and even from other countries.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35Big Issue, please?
0:01:35 > 0:01:37Thank you, lady.
0:01:37 > 0:01:39In the summer, many sleep on the beach,
0:01:39 > 0:01:41but in winter, it's a different story.
0:01:41 > 0:01:43The hostels fill up
0:01:43 > 0:01:49and those left out on the streets find shelter wherever they can.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51The lucky ones stay with friends,
0:01:51 > 0:01:54but they are just one step away from being on the streets.
0:01:57 > 0:02:01I met Gavin. He was staying at a friend's, or "sofa surfing",
0:02:01 > 0:02:05but he's just been told that his time's up on their sofa.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10It come to a head where she said, right, I've had enough.
0:02:10 > 0:02:12I want him out.
0:02:12 > 0:02:14My mate said, look, I'm sorry,
0:02:14 > 0:02:16there's nothing I can do about it,
0:02:16 > 0:02:20she wears the pants, you've got to go, you know?
0:02:22 > 0:02:25Gavin's 32 and first became homeless six months ago.
0:02:27 > 0:02:31After a family breakdown, he was out on the streets.
0:02:31 > 0:02:32He was living in Maesteg,
0:02:32 > 0:02:35but soon realised he'd be better off in Swansea.
0:02:40 > 0:02:44The town where I'm originally from, it's just a very small town,
0:02:44 > 0:02:48and if I was to... I was homeless over there,
0:02:48 > 0:02:51but there's nothing over there, there's no facilities,
0:02:51 > 0:02:54there's no soup runs, there's no soup kitchens.
0:02:54 > 0:02:55There's nowhere you can go for help.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57There's nothing. Basically,
0:02:57 > 0:03:00you're on the streets, and you are stuck on the streets.
0:03:00 > 0:03:07You know, I must walk around here at least 30, 40 times a day,
0:03:07 > 0:03:09round and round.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12You know, choosing different routes.
0:03:12 > 0:03:16During the winter, homeless people not only walk the streets to keep warm,
0:03:16 > 0:03:19but also to avoid the attention of the police
0:03:19 > 0:03:22who constantly move them on.
0:03:22 > 0:03:23Once the town empties,
0:03:23 > 0:03:27Gavin's on the lookout for something to make his night a little more comfortable.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30They're rubbish, mate, are they? They're rubbish?
0:03:34 > 0:03:38And he's chosen to return to one of his favourite spots,
0:03:38 > 0:03:41an alleyway between two shops.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46I've no doubt I'll be joined by a gang of others,
0:03:46 > 0:03:51because this is where a lot of people come, especially in the rain.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53Gather under the shelter by here.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11How much sleep do you think you'll get, Gavin?
0:04:11 > 0:04:13Two to three hours.
0:04:15 > 0:04:16Maybe four.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20Depending on the wind and the rain,
0:04:20 > 0:04:25and I've got a bust sleeping bag, which doesn't help very much.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39And that's me down for the night.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45Sleeping rough is dangerous,
0:04:45 > 0:04:50and I'd heard stories of homeless people being urinated on by drunks, kicked, and even worse.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57Last year, a news report shocked the people of Swansea -
0:04:57 > 0:05:02a murder of a homeless person right in the heart of the city.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05Very quiet, especially opposite the supermarket when it's shut.
0:05:05 > 0:05:09Alan, one of Swansea's long-term homeless, showed me where it happened.
0:05:12 > 0:05:18Basically, there was two people involved in, um, in beating him up.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22He got punched, stamped on, kicked.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25And the scarf he was wearing he was strangled with.
0:05:25 > 0:05:27As far as I know.
0:05:27 > 0:05:33Well, apparently there was blood all over the walls, it was everywhere.
0:05:33 > 0:05:37He wasn't even 30. He was only about 26.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41And, um, after he passed away
0:05:41 > 0:05:44there were flowers all down here,
0:05:44 > 0:05:49on the wall, there, opposite, where the church is.
0:05:49 > 0:05:55Unfortunately, it doesn't matter how many flowers you put down, it's not going to bring him back. You know?
0:05:59 > 0:06:03I'd heard that violence, drugs, and alcohol
0:06:03 > 0:06:09had led to the deaths on the streets of five people over the last three years.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17I'd seen a guy cycling, who I was told was living rough.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22I love my bike, I go everywhere on it.
0:06:23 > 0:06:27It goes everywhere with me. It gets me from A to B.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30I can ride from one end of Swansea to the other in half an hour.
0:06:30 > 0:06:35Plus with this trailer thing I've got on the back, I've got something.
0:06:35 > 0:06:42With a bike, it's easy to get away from the dangers of living on the city streets.
0:06:42 > 0:06:46Most homeless people, they're just happy with a shop doorway,
0:06:46 > 0:06:48or an archway or somewhere.
0:06:48 > 0:06:52You get arrested, you meet the wrong people,
0:06:52 > 0:06:54you start doing the wrong things.
0:06:54 > 0:06:59You end up on a downward spiral, and, you know, there's no way out.
0:07:00 > 0:07:04I followed him westward, towards The Mumbles.
0:07:07 > 0:07:12I feel calmer down here, because I know there's no idiots,
0:07:12 > 0:07:15nobody drunk, nobody on drugs.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18That's why I like this place.
0:07:19 > 0:07:23Adam grew up on the other side of Swansea Bay, in Port Talbot.
0:07:24 > 0:07:29Now, he's living just beside one of Swansea's most affluent suburbs.
0:07:31 > 0:07:36I've been homeless in Swansea twice, and came here both times.
0:07:36 > 0:07:40Last time before that I was homeless, I was living in Cardiff,
0:07:40 > 0:07:42and that was ten years ago.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45It was Christmas time that I was on the street, then.
0:07:52 > 0:07:54What's nice about living out here?
0:07:54 > 0:07:58I can do pretty much what I want when I want, and how I want,
0:07:58 > 0:08:01so, that's me, I'm happy.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03Adam's well and truly off the beaten track.
0:08:03 > 0:08:07The advantage is, no-one will bother him here.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17I could have just been to the gym.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20There's my tent, campfire,
0:08:20 > 0:08:22and my stash of wood.
0:08:24 > 0:08:25I'm happy.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32Adam is more resourceful than most,
0:08:32 > 0:08:35and doesn't have to rely on charity for a hot meal or a drink.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41Were you ever in the Boy Scouts?
0:08:41 > 0:08:43- No.- So, where have you learnt all this from?
0:08:43 > 0:08:45Ray Mears and Bear Grylls.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51Three weeks ago, Adam had a roof over his head,
0:08:51 > 0:08:54but a falling out with a housemate resulted in a fight.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57And he ended up in trouble with the law.
0:08:59 > 0:09:04Adam is a loner. He finds it difficult to live together with others,
0:09:04 > 0:09:09and when he has to, it all too often ends up in rows and disagreements.
0:09:09 > 0:09:14Because of the way people perceive me, what they want,
0:09:14 > 0:09:19and what they need, they're the ones that are creating violence.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23'I don't want to get into trouble.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26'Having something like that forced on me,
0:09:26 > 0:09:32'I've got to, literally, knock them out or jump on them then ponder everything.
0:09:32 > 0:09:36'Then I end up in court, in prison, and paying fines,
0:09:36 > 0:09:39'and doing community service.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41'But that's not me, I hate being violent.'
0:09:41 > 0:09:45Adam knows only too well the realities of rough sleeping.
0:09:46 > 0:09:50Last time I was homeless during the winter,
0:09:50 > 0:09:54I didn't have the tent. I was sleeping in shop doorways, car parks,
0:09:54 > 0:10:00lifts, people's houses, couch surfing.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04And it's not an enjoyable experience.
0:10:04 > 0:10:09What's the prospects of the weather for the next month or so?
0:10:09 > 0:10:11Dismal.
0:10:14 > 0:10:19Finally got the fire going, so things are looking up.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22Whether or not I can keep it going all night, though,
0:10:22 > 0:10:23that's a different story.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34I'm going to get all my stuff together
0:10:34 > 0:10:37and get in the tent before I get bloody soaked.
0:10:37 > 0:10:39Again.
0:10:44 > 0:10:45Cheers.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55Two miles away in the city centre,
0:10:55 > 0:11:00it's harder for rough sleepers to find shelter in bad weather.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04They don't care about the homeless people over here,
0:11:04 > 0:11:06they only care about the rich.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08Tracy is homeless
0:11:08 > 0:11:11and she's heading for an underpass.
0:11:36 > 0:11:40Tracy is not the first Irish person to step off the ferry from Cork
0:11:40 > 0:11:43and end up living on Swansea's streets.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47I first noticed her four weeks ago.
0:11:47 > 0:11:52When the weather was warmer, she was sleeping rough close to the beach,
0:11:52 > 0:11:55but now she's had enough of the colder nights.
0:11:55 > 0:11:57First thing this morning,
0:11:57 > 0:12:01Tracy joined other rough sleepers at the Access Point,
0:12:01 > 0:12:06a Swansea charity who have been helping the homeless for the last 15 years.
0:12:06 > 0:12:11Each day, they allocate Swansea's one and only emergency bed for the night
0:12:11 > 0:12:14to the homeless person most in need,
0:12:14 > 0:12:16and Tracy's put her name down for it.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21She's in competition with three others.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27At 12.30 each day, the staff decide who gets the bed.
0:12:28 > 0:12:32- All right, Trace? - All right.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34Right, you didn't get the bed today.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36- You all right?- Yeah.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40Keep trying tomorrow, all right? Right.
0:12:40 > 0:12:41- I can't.- You what?
0:12:45 > 0:12:48It's a big disappointment for Tracy,
0:12:48 > 0:12:53who has spent three days with nowhere else to sleep but the streets.
0:12:58 > 0:12:59But then, luckily,
0:12:59 > 0:13:04there's an immediate turnaround in Tracy's fortunes.
0:13:06 > 0:13:08Good news, now, you've got the bed.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11The person who we went to give the bed to has turned it down,
0:13:11 > 0:13:13so you've got it tonight. Six o'clock, OK?
0:13:13 > 0:13:16- Yes, thanks very much. - Wasn't me, it was them.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36- Thanks very much, pet, ta. - No problem.
0:13:36 > 0:13:40From the start, Tracy's had a tough time in Swansea.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43When she arrived, she was with her boyfriend.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46But after a fight, he promptly abandoned her.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49What she revealed next didn't surprise me,
0:13:49 > 0:13:54and wasn't untypical of Swansea's life on the streets.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57This is my habit, and I'm not afraid to open the thing and drink it.
0:13:57 > 0:14:01This has been my habit since a young age, since I've been nine.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03I've been drinking at a very young age,
0:14:03 > 0:14:04and I've been fighting it,
0:14:04 > 0:14:07so I'm not ashamed to show people that I am a drinker.
0:14:07 > 0:14:11I'll get done for this, for opening a can and drinking it,
0:14:11 > 0:14:12but it's just a habit I have.
0:14:14 > 0:14:15I drank when I was young,
0:14:15 > 0:14:18but then I started going out with a fella who was an alcoholic.
0:14:18 > 0:14:22He got me on the drink. I was turning into an alcoholic then.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25I went on the drink more heavier.
0:14:25 > 0:14:29Since then, it's the fighting. I'll come off it for a while,
0:14:29 > 0:14:31then I'm back on it, off it and back on it.
0:14:31 > 0:14:33It's hard to beat, an illness,
0:14:33 > 0:14:36because a drinking problem is an illness,
0:14:36 > 0:14:38and I'm not going to hide it and say I don't have a habit.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41It's just an illness.
0:14:42 > 0:14:47Tracy's family have no idea she's living on the streets.
0:14:47 > 0:14:49My family ignore me now.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58And she's not the only outsider who is separated from her family.
0:14:58 > 0:15:00Big Issue, please? Thank you.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03Swansea seems to attract migrants from everywhere.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07The most recent arrivals are those from Romania,
0:15:07 > 0:15:10who come here in search of a better life.
0:15:10 > 0:15:15Many of them sell The Big Issue to help them towards getting a better job.
0:15:15 > 0:15:19Georghika followed in the footsteps of others who came to Swansea.
0:15:19 > 0:15:23And he's been selling the magazine three years. He's homeless,
0:15:23 > 0:15:25but he's not down and out.
0:15:25 > 0:15:27So you make everybody happy?
0:15:27 > 0:15:29Yes, happy, yes, yes.
0:15:31 > 0:15:35He buys each magazine for a pound and sells them on for two.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38Two pounds, please.
0:15:38 > 0:15:43Money, coffee, money, tea, a new magazine, tea, coffee,
0:15:43 > 0:15:45very good people in Swansea.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47Thank you very much.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50What he lacks as a linguist he makes up for with his charm.
0:15:50 > 0:15:52Yes, bye-bye, lady.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55What was your job in Romania?
0:15:55 > 0:15:57Um...
0:15:59 > 0:16:01Coal mining.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05HE COUGHS
0:16:05 > 0:16:06He was telling me he was a coal miner.
0:16:06 > 0:16:10I had to find out more, so I found someone who could translate.
0:16:10 > 0:16:15But what were conditions like in a Romanian coal mine?
0:16:15 > 0:16:18HE SPEAKS IN ROMANIAN
0:16:22 > 0:16:24He himself was the machine.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28There were lots of accidents.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31HE SPEAKS IN ROMANIAN
0:16:31 > 0:16:36Most of the accidents that happened in the mine were deadly.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39The mine closed and there were no other jobs in Romania.
0:16:39 > 0:16:41So Georghika came here.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43Big Issue, please?
0:16:43 > 0:16:46Selling the magazine is hard going,
0:16:46 > 0:16:50and he doesn't make anywhere near enough money
0:16:50 > 0:16:51to pay for a permanent place to live.
0:16:51 > 0:16:53Good, have a nice day.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56But actually, Georghika prefers this to the life back home.
0:16:59 > 0:17:04A couple of days later, I ran into him again on the high street.
0:17:04 > 0:17:08He was in a different mood, and wanted me to follow him.
0:17:08 > 0:17:09But I didn't know why.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11- Georghika?- Yes.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14- Where are we going? - Um...sleeping.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17No house, no money, homeless.
0:17:17 > 0:17:21Off the main street, right next to a block of flats,
0:17:21 > 0:17:26we came to a fence, beyond which there is a small pavilion.
0:17:26 > 0:17:27It was here that he used to sleep.
0:17:29 > 0:17:31- How long?- Six months.
0:17:32 > 0:17:34- You sleep there?- Yes.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37HE SPEAKS ROMANIAN
0:17:41 > 0:17:43He'd sneak in, climb over the fence,
0:17:43 > 0:17:46and disappear in the morning before anyone found out.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51This bench was his bed, sheltered from the rain,
0:17:51 > 0:17:53but still exposed to the cold.
0:17:55 > 0:17:57So, where was he staying now?
0:17:58 > 0:18:03A friend gave him this key after he'd vacated his flat and left town.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06But the trouble is, neither of them are paying the rent,
0:18:06 > 0:18:08so Georghika is squatting.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14The next day, I asked Georghika if I could visit him.
0:18:14 > 0:18:18He would like to welcome you in his room,
0:18:18 > 0:18:22but he doesn't want to have problem with the city and county of Swansea,
0:18:22 > 0:18:24because they might kick him out of the room,
0:18:24 > 0:18:26so he will be homeless again.
0:18:26 > 0:18:31Even now, when he will go to the room, he might find the room closed.
0:18:31 > 0:18:33But he will have troubles.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36And he doesn't want to sleep in winter outside.
0:18:36 > 0:18:40It will only be a matter of time before his luck runs out
0:18:40 > 0:18:43and he's out on the streets again.
0:18:46 > 0:18:51As winter approaches, it plays on the minds of those I met sleeping out,
0:18:51 > 0:18:53and as it gets colder,
0:18:53 > 0:18:55even the most hardened rough sleepers
0:18:55 > 0:18:59make a more determined effort to find somewhere indoors.
0:19:02 > 0:19:07On the outskirts of Swansea, Adam is still camping out.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09It's 7.00am.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16How was your night, Adam?
0:19:16 > 0:19:18Bloody terrible.
0:19:20 > 0:19:22What is that noise?
0:19:25 > 0:19:29You're kind of roughing it, but not when it comes to your dental hygiene?
0:19:29 > 0:19:31No, you've got to look after your teeth.
0:19:34 > 0:19:39When I'm homeless, there is no point lazing around in bed,
0:19:39 > 0:19:41because you miss everything.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46And you don't get a place sorted.
0:19:48 > 0:19:52It's getting colder, and Adam has to find somewhere to live,
0:19:52 > 0:19:56but his options are limited. He's unemployed,
0:19:56 > 0:20:00he's serving a community service order and paying off a fine,
0:20:00 > 0:20:03so there's no money left to pay the deposit on a room.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07Undeterred, he sets off to see
0:20:07 > 0:20:10if there's a landlord who can offer a deal he can afford.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17Close to Swansea city centre,
0:20:17 > 0:20:23almost every day, the homeless wait for a free meal offered by one of the charities.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26Mother Teresa's Sisters of Mercy have set up a mission here.
0:20:28 > 0:20:33There are four sisters who are dedicated to helping the homeless,
0:20:33 > 0:20:35but there are conditions attached.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37..Glorifying and praising God.
0:20:38 > 0:20:43The mission has 12 hostel beds, but the nuns have rules.
0:20:43 > 0:20:45You have to be in by five o'clock,
0:20:45 > 0:20:49and you can only get a place if you give up alcohol.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53Sister Vinedha gives one of them a blanket.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56She is the best lady in the world.
0:20:56 > 0:20:58She gives us dinners,
0:20:58 > 0:21:03and if I wish, in my own sweet way,
0:21:03 > 0:21:05I'd get a bed.
0:21:05 > 0:21:09If you are sober, I will give you a bed.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12Timothy is one of Swansea's long-term homeless
0:21:12 > 0:21:15and his life is dominated by drink.
0:21:15 > 0:21:20Don't worry, be happy,
0:21:20 > 0:21:24cos if you're not happy, I won't be happy.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27It's unlikely that he will ever overcome his addiction.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30After just one hour without a drink,
0:21:30 > 0:21:34I'd seen Timothy become ill with the shakes.
0:21:34 > 0:21:35And I hate doing that.
0:21:38 > 0:21:40Timothy came here 15 years ago from Belfast,
0:21:40 > 0:21:43after falling in love with a Welsh woman.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46But the relationship broke down.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49Now, the streets of Swansea are his home.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52But just how long had Timothy been homeless?
0:21:52 > 0:21:57Seven... About 20 years.
0:21:57 > 0:22:0320 years. I'm 54 years of age. 20 years.
0:22:03 > 0:22:07And is that nice? I've two daughters.
0:22:07 > 0:22:13One is 27, the fourth of December,
0:22:13 > 0:22:16and one is 20.
0:22:17 > 0:22:19And do you think I enjoy this?
0:22:20 > 0:22:23My life is gone.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29Timothy is living on borrowed time.
0:22:29 > 0:22:34The life expectancy of homeless men is 47.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37And for women, it's even younger, just 43.
0:22:41 > 0:22:45In the late afternoon, I get a surprise call from Tracy.
0:22:45 > 0:22:46She wants to meet.
0:22:50 > 0:22:54She's returned to the tunnel under Swansea train station.
0:22:54 > 0:22:58The last time I saw her was five days ago,
0:22:58 > 0:23:00when she had managed to get the emergency bed.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03But since then, I had no idea what had happened to her.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09And now, she wasn't making much sense.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25She told me that she'd been staying with someone,
0:23:25 > 0:23:28but an argument meant she was now back on the streets.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31This morning, she had gone to the homeless charity
0:23:31 > 0:23:33and tried to get the emergency bed for the night.
0:23:55 > 0:23:56Lighter is not working.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59Swansea's a shithole.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01It's a fucking shithole.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04Back-stabbing bastards, they'll talk about you behind your back
0:24:04 > 0:24:06but don't say it to your face.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27I lost touch with Tracy after this,
0:24:27 > 0:24:30and two weeks later, heard that she'd left Swansea.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39Adam, too, had gone off my radar.
0:24:39 > 0:24:41I even went to his camp
0:24:41 > 0:24:45in an attempt to find out if he'd managed to find somewhere to live.
0:24:45 > 0:24:46Then, out of the blue,
0:24:46 > 0:24:50at a church that has become a drop-in centre for the homeless,
0:24:50 > 0:24:52Adam turns up.
0:24:52 > 0:24:53Happy.
0:24:54 > 0:24:57I've finally got a place. Moved in yesterday.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00Just come to get a cup of tea with my cousin.
0:25:00 > 0:25:02I haven't seen him for about three years.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07Adam can at last strike camp.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10He'd managed to find a landlord who was willing to rent a room
0:25:10 > 0:25:13without having to pay a deposit upfront.
0:25:16 > 0:25:21I didn't want to be in a tent over Christmas, no.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35This is home for me now.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44All my criminal days are behind me now.
0:25:44 > 0:25:46I can't see me going back to the way I was.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50I love my music.
0:25:50 > 0:25:55The whole time that I've been homeless,
0:25:55 > 0:25:57that was what kept me focused.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59So, do you think you're going to be happy here?
0:25:59 > 0:26:01I know I'm going to be happy.
0:26:03 > 0:26:05Any of you two ever heard of Feeder?
0:26:10 > 0:26:14This evening, it's not just the homeless who are on the streets.
0:26:14 > 0:26:19The whole town is out to see Swansea's Christmas parade.
0:26:19 > 0:26:21But how will Timothy react?
0:26:21 > 0:26:23Ffff...
0:26:24 > 0:26:26What do you see?
0:26:26 > 0:26:29I see a lot of people.
0:26:29 > 0:26:34Oh, man, a fierce lot of people.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39And they're waiting for something.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44I shall ask.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46Watch me.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48Excuse me, what are they waiting for?
0:26:48 > 0:26:51The Christmas lights are being switched on, sir.
0:26:51 > 0:26:52Oh. Thank you.
0:26:54 > 0:26:58I love it. Do you know something?
0:26:58 > 0:27:01I love them kids up there,
0:27:01 > 0:27:04because they look... Look what you're seeing.
0:27:06 > 0:27:07You're seeing Wales.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10I am delirious.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17I didn't think it was going to be like this.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23As the evening progresses, Timothy's mood changes,
0:27:23 > 0:27:28and the big moment of switching on the Christmas lights is lost on him.
0:27:30 > 0:27:32I didn't take any notice of them, man.
0:27:37 > 0:27:41Homeless people, do they have Christmas?
0:27:41 > 0:27:48I know I will never have a Christmas sleeping on the streets.
0:27:56 > 0:27:58There are 34 days left until the big day.
0:27:58 > 0:28:03For those on the streets, it's a heart-wrenching countdown,
0:28:03 > 0:28:05a reminder of their broken families,
0:28:05 > 0:28:07and children who they've lost touch with.
0:28:10 > 0:28:15Next time on my journey onto the streets of Swansea...
0:28:15 > 0:28:18Georghika has been kicked out of his flat,
0:28:18 > 0:28:20and now he's sleeping in the park.
0:28:20 > 0:28:22Very cold. Very cold.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25The police crack down on drinking on the streets.
0:28:25 > 0:28:28The way you're going, you'll get arrested!
0:28:28 > 0:28:33Don't have a go at me, it's my daughter's birthday.
0:28:33 > 0:28:37And a drifter turns up, who's been homeless for 30 years.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40I'm feral, you know the word feral? What does that mean?
0:28:40 > 0:28:42Is that a sweater? Fairisle?
0:28:42 > 0:28:44No, it means, when, like, you live off the land.
0:28:48 > 0:28:52Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd