For many families, home is a place of warmth, comfort, and stability. But for one mother and her children, home was a tent for an entire year. After facing financial hardship and bankruptcy, they had no choice but to trade walls for fabric, living in a temporary shelter where rent was just £10 a night. It was an experience that tested their resilience, but in the end, it also strengthened their bond and taught them invaluable life lessons.
The mother recalls the moment their lives changed. “We never expected to be in that situation. One day, we were barely making ends meet, and the next, we had lost everything. There was no way we could afford rent, so we had to make a tough decision: either go into debt even further or find another way to survive.”
That “other way” turned out to be living in a tent. While the idea of camping may sound adventurous to some, for this family, it was a desperate last resort. With traditional housing out of reach, they found a campsite that charged only £10 per night—an amount they could manage while trying to rebuild their lives.
The transition was anything but easy. Living in a tent meant battling extreme weather conditions, limited access to electricity, and the constant uncertainty of what tomorrow would bring. “The nights were the worst,” she remembers. “When it rained, we prayed our tent wouldn’t flood. When it was cold, we bundled up in every layer we had. And when the wind howled, I stayed awake, making sure my kids felt safe.”
Despite the hardships, she found small moments of joy. “We learned to appreciate the simple things—watching the sunrise, cooking meals over a small fire, telling stories under the stars. It wasn’t the life I wanted for my kids, but I did my best to make it feel like an adventure.”
Her children, though confused at first, adapted quickly. They played outdoors, found comfort in routine, and, most importantly, never doubted their mother’s love. “Kids are resilient,” she says. “They didn’t care about having a big house or fancy things. They just needed to feel secure, and I did everything I could to give them that.”
The road to recovery wasn’t easy. She worked tirelessly to save money, find stable employment, and rebuild their financial standing. “Every penny counted. I refused to let this be our forever.” After months of struggle and determination, she finally secured a home for her family. Moving into a real house after a year in a tent felt surreal. “When we walked through the door, I cried. My kids ran around, touching the walls, excited to have a space of their own again.”
Looking back, she doesn’t regret the journey. “It was the hardest year of my life, but it taught me that we are stronger than we think. We lost everything, but we gained resilience, gratitude, and an unbreakable bond. No matter what life throws at us, I know we can make it through.”
