In 2014, Mark Eaton-Lees, originally from Wolverhampton and a former recruitment worker, left his job to pursue his dream of opening a scuba diving center in Devon. However, when his rental room became unavailable at the last minute, he found himself without accommodation and had to live in his car.
Mark described his experience: “I found a free restaurant car park in Exeter, bought a pillow and a duvet, and slept in my Volkswagen Polo.” He would leave early each morning to avoid being discovered.
Without access to clean clothes or facilities, Mark could not apply for office jobs. Instead, he sought work as an HGV driver but faced health challenges during the winter months. “There was a night when I struggled to wake up... I’m pretty sure these were early signs of hypothermia,” he recalled.
With support from his family, Mark returned to Wolverhampton in 2015 and began working as a courier driver. A conversation with a young homeless man inspired him to seek solutions for homelessness beyond rebuilding his own life.
Mark pursued education in criminology and social policy at Swansea University starting in 2022. “It’s helped me explore issues like the Vagrancy Act and how homelessness is criminalised,” he said.
Through volunteering with organizations such as Shelter Cymru and Crisis, Mark gained practical experience supporting those affected by homelessness. He also collaborates with the Bevan Foundation on research related to temporary accommodation's impact on children in Wales.
“Wales is leading the way with preventative approaches like Upstream Cymru,” Mark noted regarding school-based early intervention efforts. He expressed optimism about proposed legislation that could significantly improve housing policies.
Mark plans to continue his studies at the University of Sheffield with a focus on autism and homelessness—an area he believes needs more attention. His personal experiences motivate him to ensure others do not face similar hardships.