An Act Of Kindness Helps Reunite A Family

A local man built a mobile homeless shelter for people sleeping rough on the streets of Cardiff at Xmas – but also helped to reunite a family.

Mark Burgess spent £350 making a temporary home for people living on the street. The shelter is on wheels so it can be moved around and contains a fire alarm, light, insulation, ventilation and a lock. Mark said he decided to build the cabin following the recent cold nights in a bid to help those on the street stay dry and warm.

On Xmas Eve Mark took the mobile shelter into the city centre, looking for someone who could make use of it. He came across a couple, Sion and Sherrie, who were sleeping rough with their dog, Taff.

Mark said: “I walked around Cardiff on Xmas Eve and when I got to St Mary Street I saw a couple with a dog. I talked to them for a while and even though I had built it for one person they seemed keen so I took the guy to see it.”

‘He had promised her they would be off the street by next Christmas,’ Mark explained. ‘He was really happy about the shelter.’

But after Sion’s sister saw the initial report in The Metro, she got in touch with Mark. She said that now they had an idea where Sion was their mum wanted to come to Cardiff to look for him.

“I told her a few places he had been spotted, saying it really wouldn’t be difficult to spot them,” said Mark. “Since then Sion’s mother came down to Cardiff, and has taken them back to Swansea.”

Mark was also informed that Sion has three children who are being looked after by his mum – and all of them have been reunited and are now living together in a caravan owned by Sion’s mother.

“I couldn’t believe it,” said Mark. “It was so nice to update everyone who had shown an interest in the story to let them know that Sion is back with his family with a roof over their head.”

(Picture: BPM)