In 2010, a young man travelled to the UK to study at university. Here he fell in love with a young lady and the dynamic of their lives changed irreversibly in the most challenging ways.

Their love was not acceptable due to their different backgrounds and religions and they were both outcast by their families. They had gone from being well off in their home countries to having nothing, no family and being unable to return home.

They struggled to survive in the UK.

Once their studies finished the couple faced deportation and a real danger to life in returning to their home countries. By this point they had a young child together and a struggle to stay in the UK ensued as they sought to obtain leave to remain.

Unable to work due to their status in the UK they faced the constant prospect of deportation for almost 7 years, rent and food was a huge struggle and the couple faced huge amounts of hate and discrimination. All of this led to years of moving from home to home, the stress, anxiety and depression causing physical symptoms including fainting and being unable to walk or sleep. It was only because of each other and their children that they were able to carry on – “I was depressed, my family were the only thing that kept me going.”

Their situation began to turn around when they were referred by their midwife to CPSL Mind in 2018. They both attended 1:1 wellbeing sessions which they say “gave us lots of emotional help and the support to keep on living”

“Finally, someone listened to us and supported us to climb out of that depression and anxiety. CPSL Mind is the only organisation who truly help people and give their hand to help pull them up.”

This year, in 2019, the couple finally received the news they were hoping for – they have been granted leave to remain in the UK. The first two people they told about this news were our staff who supported them. “We will always remember CPSL Mind and how they helped change our lives.”

This is a huge step which will allow them to work and start building their life together in the UK. After nearly 10 years of struggling, their perseverance and spirit has paid off and we wish them all the best with their lives together.