Karen Henriksen & Chris

Chris, Sheffield

‘I want to show people that you can be at the bottom and turn it around.’

Chris spent six months on Sheffield’s city-centre streets while holding down a supermarket job. It was a harsh existence: he’d work 10-hour days, five days a week, while cycling six miles each way. Eventually, it began to catch up with him – and his job was placed at risk. Unable to continue, he sought help from Shelter.

With help from his caseworker, Chris found a flat to call home. But after four happy years, his flat mates moved on, and new people moved in. As Chris is autistic, he found it difficult to adjust to the change, and began to feel drained and fearful. His curtains stayed closed, and he rarely left the flat. He saw himself as a prisoner, unable to relax or drown out the noise of his neighbours’ music.

Chris called Shelter again, whose advisors provided reassurance and support, and used medical records and reports to build a case to present to the council. The council agreed that Chris was in the wrong surroundings for his autism, and swiftly addressed the situation.

Chris has since moved into his own bungalow, and hasn’t looked back – the changes to his health and happiness have been profound. With a place to call his own, and the stability it brings, he wakes up feeling positive about life again.

Maker’s notes

“If someone gives you something, where can you take it?” This was Chris talking about how Shelter helped him, and about his plans to help others. It brought to mind a positive spiral, moving forward and outward in an ever-widening network. After cycling to and from work each day, Chris pitched his tent overlooking Sheffield.

Safer than a shop doorway, the location provided both a connection to other people, and a vast canopy of stars above. I loved this combination of the logical and spiritual. Being autistic, Chris deals with life as he would a jigsaw puzzle, or perhaps a mosaic. I’ve described my pattern-cutting as taking a line for a walk to see where it takes me, and the pieces often become a kind of puzzle. Here, I wanted to create a sculptural cycle helmet – a protective shell, a canopy for the head, a mosaic of stars.

Materials: Thermo-plastic felt with vintage suede attached, mosaic reflective tape, wool felt with silver beads embedded, grosgrain ribbon, Oscar Wilde quotation embroidered with reflective thread. Ties: Cotton tape, metal D-rings