Once homeless Theresa says without Derventio Housing Trust’s life-saving Healthy Futures scheme she would likely be “dead or locked up”
Once-homeless Derbyshire residents who have fled situations including sleeping rough, dire accommodation and leaving abusive relationships have thanked a valuable project which has saved the NHS tens of thousands of pounds over the years.
Theresa Kestle, Kelsey Hudspeth and Violet Osborn have all joined together in thanking Derventio Housing Trust for running the Healthy Futures project which has provided them with accommodation in their hour of severe need.
All three said they could not praise the project highly enough with Theresa – who was sleeping rough in Chesterfield for months in 2024 – saying without Derventio Housing Trust she would probably be “dead, or locked up”.
Funded by Chesterfield Borough Council, the Healthy Futures project sees Derventio Housing Trust provide accommodation to people in very severe need if they might otherwise be calling ‘999’ and using NHS services to flee danger.
The project provides residents with intense support and has seen remarkable success over the years, saving the NHS tens of thousands of pounds by supporting those who might otherwise rely on using emergency services.
Theresa Kestle described how she had been reduced to sleeping rough in Chesterfield town centre in 2024 due to her drug use.
But having been referred to Healthy Futures in late 2024, she has now got herself clean within weeks. Theresa said:
Sleeping rough was the worst experience of my life. You always think something is going to happen to you. I got in touch with Derventio Housing Trust through the homeless charity Pathways. I got somewhere within a week. For me, having somewhere I can call home is brilliant. Otherwise I’d probably have ended up dead or locked up. It’s great just to have a space where you can lock the door at night and you know you’re going to be alright.
Paul West, who runs the Healthy Futures project for Derventio Housing Trust, said:
From where Theresa was when she joined us, to where she is now, is amazing. She’s worked hard and got herself clean and I couldn’t be more pleased for her.
Kelsey Hudspeth found herself without a home and relying on sofa surfing after escaping an abusive relationship. She said finding the sanctuary of Derventio Housing Trust had been wonderful, and she has also found herself a job working in a coffee shop.
Violet Osborn, of Alfreton, came to Derventio Housing Trust having become homeless in 2021, before needing to flee an unstable shelter that is no longer operational.
Now studying at Chesterfield College with the aim of entering the field of engineering, she said:
Derventio Housing Trust and Healthy Futures means safety. It means people who are welcoming. There’s one on one help for you, and you can call anyone you need to.
Paul said:
It’s a privilege to work with those we are able to help through Healthy Futures. Seeing their progress from where they were when they joined us, to where they are now: jobs; drug-free and studying at college – it’s brilliant. We provide a safe space where you can lock your door at night and the progress people make is remarkable.
Healthy Futures helps around 20 people a year and two residents have already moved on to a private tenancy in 2025.
For every pound invested in the project, nearly four times as much is put back into the economy. Sarah Hernandez, managing director of Derventio Housing Trust, said:
It’s brilliant to hear from Theresa, Kelsey and Violet who are thriving as a result of our Healthy Futures project.
We provide an intense level of support to people who have been in some extremely unsafe situations in their lives and the progress we see year on year that people can make when they receive that support is remarkable to see. We are always hearing about the strain on the NHS caused by calls to 999 so it’s great to be able to offer this service which provides help by giving accommodation to people who might otherwise be in an NHS bed when they don’t need one. We always enjoy sharing the success stories of people who have used our services and it’s great to hear how well these Staveley residents are doing.
Councillor Jean Innes, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for housing, said:
Healthy Futures is a valued project that forms part of our wider homelessness prevention activity with partner agencies in the area. The specialist focus on preventing people from being discharged from hospital into homelessness is a vital step in supporting and assisting vulnerable people from suffering further disadvantage and the potential for harm which could, without this service, ultimately result in them being readmitted into hospital. We’re really pleased that the project is having a positive impact on people’s lives.
With its headquarters in Derby, Derventio Housing Trust operates in five UK counties and provides accommodation to more than 1,000 people a year who would otherwise be homeless.
Photo shows: Violet Osborn, Theresa Kestle, Kelly Hudspeth and Paul West from Derventio Housing Trust