
House to Home for Raine and Family
Donation protected
My pal Raine is one of the best people I know. He's kind, funny, intelligent, rad and all round a fabulous friend to have known for many years now (time has FLOWN).
Raine has three fabulous children: two are now thumping great teenagers and the youngest is a few years off from that fun phase of life! Amongst the siblings is neurodiversity and one also happens to be trans and let me tell you, Raine could not be a better papa bear, he loves his kids fiercely and honestly if I end up being half the parent Raine is, I'd be doing alright. Raine is also a neurodivergent trans man living his best life as his authentic self and I could not be happier for him.
What I didn't know in all the time I have known Raine is that he was living with an abusive husband. Less than a month ago Raine told our friendship group that he was asking for a divorce. Blimey, I thought, I guess lockdown didn't fare well for these guys but it happens right?
Except this wasn't an average relationship breakdown, in the time that followed I learnt how Raine's husband, in the 10 years the family have lived in their home, were never allowed to decorate. They were never allowed to get carpet, or paint the kids rooms, or even spend money on curtains for every room. I learnt how that ex-husband had a habit of punching holes in the walls of the house when they were angry (which was often). I learnt that anger was a common feature of family life in this household. I learnt that this was why Raine never invited anyone over to the house and neither did the kids. I learnt about how the kids adapted to creeping around him on eggshells and Raine had been holding the fort together for far too long. When youngest expressed that they were scared of ex-husband, that was the final straw.
I'm gutted that my most excellent friend had to live like this for so long. That he and their kids have lived in a house that has never felt like a home. It's nowhere near what this cracking human deserves which should be a happy, cosy and safe home. Here's where the funding bit comes in.
Right now Raine is a bit financially stuck. Between Raine and the working age teenagers, there's not enough dough coming in to keep the household afloat for the next few months. Raine has long term illness which when combined with being unlucky enough to go down with Covid-19 earlier this year (which was bloody scary) ate into the very last of their sick pay and is out of options for extra income.
I want to do my bit to try and help raise some money for Raine and the family; right now they're feeling good, they have a weight off their shoulders and the kids are for the first time hanging out together as a family unit instead of hiding in their bedrooms. The tools purchased years ago and never assembled have finally been dug out to spruce up the garden by the kids, they each have ambitions for what colour they want to paint each room (the living room will be white with coloured lights I hear) and they're happy. The family finally have a fresh start but a bit of extra help is properly needed right now.
So here's the funding bit. Any money raised will go straight to Raine and the family to cover:
a) the hole in the household bills to get them through the next couple of months
b) repairs to the actual holes in the walls
c) paint to get the house feeling homely
d) curtains
e) carpet
Raine so deserves this. They are the best of people and their kids are bloody fantastic. Let's turn their house into a home.
Raine has three fabulous children: two are now thumping great teenagers and the youngest is a few years off from that fun phase of life! Amongst the siblings is neurodiversity and one also happens to be trans and let me tell you, Raine could not be a better papa bear, he loves his kids fiercely and honestly if I end up being half the parent Raine is, I'd be doing alright. Raine is also a neurodivergent trans man living his best life as his authentic self and I could not be happier for him.
What I didn't know in all the time I have known Raine is that he was living with an abusive husband. Less than a month ago Raine told our friendship group that he was asking for a divorce. Blimey, I thought, I guess lockdown didn't fare well for these guys but it happens right?
Except this wasn't an average relationship breakdown, in the time that followed I learnt how Raine's husband, in the 10 years the family have lived in their home, were never allowed to decorate. They were never allowed to get carpet, or paint the kids rooms, or even spend money on curtains for every room. I learnt how that ex-husband had a habit of punching holes in the walls of the house when they were angry (which was often). I learnt that anger was a common feature of family life in this household. I learnt that this was why Raine never invited anyone over to the house and neither did the kids. I learnt about how the kids adapted to creeping around him on eggshells and Raine had been holding the fort together for far too long. When youngest expressed that they were scared of ex-husband, that was the final straw.
I'm gutted that my most excellent friend had to live like this for so long. That he and their kids have lived in a house that has never felt like a home. It's nowhere near what this cracking human deserves which should be a happy, cosy and safe home. Here's where the funding bit comes in.
Right now Raine is a bit financially stuck. Between Raine and the working age teenagers, there's not enough dough coming in to keep the household afloat for the next few months. Raine has long term illness which when combined with being unlucky enough to go down with Covid-19 earlier this year (which was bloody scary) ate into the very last of their sick pay and is out of options for extra income.
I want to do my bit to try and help raise some money for Raine and the family; right now they're feeling good, they have a weight off their shoulders and the kids are for the first time hanging out together as a family unit instead of hiding in their bedrooms. The tools purchased years ago and never assembled have finally been dug out to spruce up the garden by the kids, they each have ambitions for what colour they want to paint each room (the living room will be white with coloured lights I hear) and they're happy. The family finally have a fresh start but a bit of extra help is properly needed right now.
So here's the funding bit. Any money raised will go straight to Raine and the family to cover:
a) the hole in the household bills to get them through the next couple of months
b) repairs to the actual holes in the walls
c) paint to get the house feeling homely
d) curtains
e) carpet
Raine so deserves this. They are the best of people and their kids are bloody fantastic. Let's turn their house into a home.
Organizer and beneficiary
Hannah Mackie
Organizer
Hannah Mackie
Beneficiary