Sleeping in shop doorways and derelict buildings is no place for anyone to be, let alone a vulnerable 15-year-old who was already living in abject poverty at home.
I was kicked, punched and spat on while sleeping. I was called ‘scum’ by passers-by. One of my teachers even walked away from me while I was selling the Big Issue. It was dehumanising.
I lived on the crime-ridden streets of Newport, south Wales, for two years from 1999. It was a horrible place, high in deprivation and drugs, and low in opportunities. When I had been at my lowest, no one had been able to help me.
So, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine our future King would one day be asking me for help.
Now, here I was at Windsor, sitting down to a cup of tea with William to talk about his Homewards initiative. ‘This is really surreal. Is this actually happening?’ I kept thinking. It was a real ‘pinch me’ moment as I was quizzed by him about how I survived.
Sabrina Cohen-Hatton was homeless at 15, being kicked and spat on, but has now advised Prince William in Windsor on tackling sleeping rough
William was incredibly kind and engaged. One of the things he understands is trauma: he’s experienced his own. My own trauma started when I was nine, when my father died from a brain tumour and we had some difficult years, living in abject poverty. Mum struggled with her mental health, and home was volatile.
By the time I was nearly 16, the situation got too much, and I left. That’s when I started to sleep rough.
However, even though the threat of violence was ever present, the streets still felt safer to me than a hostel. I didn’t know of any hostels for young women, or even young people – the ones I knew were full of people using drugs on a regular basis, or those who had recently come out of prison.
But I did find some kindness, too. Men in their 50s or 60s who had been homeless for a long time helped me find soup kitchens or safer places to sleep.
The Prince of Wales has schemed many festive fundraisers to help those less fortunate in recent years
I was terrified of people knowing I was sleeping rough, because I didn’t want to go into care. I was raised by someone who loved me deeply but didn’t have the mental or physical resources to care for me properly so, subsequently, I didn’t trust any authority figure.
I pretended everything was OK, despite the fact that I was on the At Risk Register and social services were involved. I thought care would be akin to some Dickensian workhouse, so I did my best to pretend I was still living at home.
Amid the chaos, continuing my education felt like the only thing I could control. So, after a night sleeping on the street, I would put on a scrumpled-up uniform and go to school – occasionally managing to clean and have a wash in pub toilets. I’d stash my books in a hiding place, and continued to study, managing to get an A*, six As and three Bs in my GCSEs – I was determined as it was the only chance I could see of having a future.
Sabrina is now one of only a handful of female fire chiefs in the country, and credits selling the Big Issue and spending time with her dog Menace for saving her live
There are two things I credit with saving my life. I sold the Big Issue, which gave me self-esteem, structure and a reason to get up, but also – crucially – some financial resources to support myself.
The other thing was my dog, Menace, who found me sitting outside a pub – a stray dog who found a stray girl. You don’t sleep properly when you’re on the streets because you’re always on edge: I’ve woken up with a boot in my head on more than one occasion. But after Menace arrived, I slept much better.
Gradually, I pieced my life together. Aged 17, I went to Monmouth, an hour away on the bus. No one else was selling the Big Issue there so I could make enough to save up for a deposit on a cheap, rented flat. It wasn’t much, but it was safer. I stopped visiting Newport and avoided anything that reminded me of my old life.
Once I’d got back on my feet, after two years, I started to wonder what I could do to help others. In 2001, motivated by the memory of that teacher who walked away from me, I joined the Fire Service as a part-time firefighter. Within a few months I was full-time, and I never looked back. I did a psychology degree with the Open University and, in 2010, I started a doctorate at Cardiff University.
I’m now Chief Fire Officer of the Fire and Rescue service in West Sussex, one of a handful of female chiefs, have a PhD and am married with a wonderful 14-year-old daughter.
Then, in 2019, after nearly 20 years of keeping my previous life a secret, I started to talk about it. I wanted to show there is potential for life after experiencing homelessness – I’m the proof!
From left to right: Tyrone Mings, Sabrina Cohen-Hatton, Prince William, Gail Porter and David Duke at the launch of Homewards – a programme to end homelessness in the UK
When I work with Prince William, I’m always touched by how empathetic he’s been and genuinely committed to driving forward change – even with what he’s been through this year.
It’s amazing to see him in action. He’s not afraid to tackle a problem despite its scale.
One of the most important things he is doing is helping to get rid of the stigma of homelessness in all its forms.
If we can get rid of it altogether, the journey and the recovery from being homeless will never be as difficult as it is now.
Prince William: We Can End Homelessness is on October 30 and 31 at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX, STV and STV Player
As told to Lebby Eyres.