Hi everyone,

I’ve debated setting this up for a while because asking for financial help isn’t something that comes naturally, but its become the final option to resort to right now.

A few weeks ago I was the victim of a homophobic assault which resulted in a serious facial fracture and surgery. Since then, life has been pretty overwhelming, both physically and mentally.

I’m self-employed and work in the fashion industry, so taking time away from work has had a direct impact on my income. I’ve only managed to work once or twice since my surgery and, honestly, I’ve felt quite anxious and not really myself when I’ve tried to get back into it.

The mental side of everything has probably been the hardest part. I’m struggling with my mood and energy and have found myself feeling very overwhelmed by everything that’s happened. I’m starting therapy soon and I’m hoping that, with the right support and some time, things will gradually start to feel a bit more normal again.

I even took myself away to Turkey for a short time because I felt like I desperately needed to get away from everything, clear my head and look after my mental health. Unfortunately, I still struggled while I was away and came home to the reality of rent, bills, work and everything else that has built up.

The financial pressure is now adding another layer of stress. Because I’m self-employed, not being able to work normally means there’s no regular income to fall back on or sick pay. I’m currently behind on my rent and have other expenses and debts that have built up while I’ve been recovering.

I’ve been trying to deal with everything properly. I’m in contact with Universal Credit, Citizens Advice, my GP and my local council and I’m looking into every form of support available to me. Unfortunately, there isn’t a huge amount of immediate financial help available through Universal Credit, so I’m trying to bridge the gap while I recover and get myself back to work.

I’m not setting this up to make money from what happened to me. I’m setting it up because right now I need a little bit of breathing room as im not sure what to do.

Any money raised will go towards essentials such as rent, food, bills and giving me some financial stability while I recover and gradually get back into work.

I know everyone has their own lives and financial pressures, so there is absolutely no expectation to donate. If you’re able to help, even a small amount would genuinely make a difference. And if you can’t donate, sharing this or simply supporting me through this period means just as much.

I’m trying to take things one step at a time, get the help I need, get back on my feet and eventually get back to doing what I love.

Thank you to everyone who has checked in, supported me, watched my videos or simply been there over the last few weeks. I genuinely appreciate it more than you probably realise.

Here’s to getting through a difficult chapter and slowly finding my way back to myself.