Norwich ex drug-addict Susie tells story of hope 

Norwich resident and former drug addict Susie Mayhew has shared her story of hope after being given support and a place to live by Christian charity Hope into Action and named as a winner in its Tenant Awards 2025. Keith Morris reports.

Susie is also the face of the charity’s Restore Hope this Easter Appeal after receiving the Addressing Offending Behaviour Award at the Hope into Action Tenant Awards 2025 recently.

“Imagine having nowhere to sleep, having to sleep in shop doorways and derelict buildings,” said Susie. “It’s not living - most of the time I wished I was dead. I didn’t want to be alive. A horrible life.

“I was from a travelling family, married a violent man, got away from him and ended up on drugs and then in prison. I used the drugs to block everything out. I didn’t like to think about what I’d been through and it was the only thing that made me forget.

Jessica is a volunteer from Norwich Cathedral and is one of Susie's friendship and support befrienders.  She said: “When I first met Susie, she was carrying so much and she was scared and was on a real crossroads with where she was gonna live and you could see it was weighing really heavily on her.

“I was there when Susie found out she was going to get a place at the Hope into Action House in Norwich and it was a  beautiful moment and a brilliant moment for all of us.

“I think this whole project restores hope in the person, that that tiny little seed or flicker of a flame that hasn’t gone out, gets ignited,” said Jessica.

The award nomination said of Susie: “From 20 years of addiction, homelessness and prison, Susie has been determined to turn her life around. She’s a remarkable woman, full of courage and resilience.”

Responding to the support from Hope into Action, Susie said: “It’s been life-changing. It’s given me the will to live and got me back into my faith. I wish you could see a before of me. It’s just changed my life, changed it completely.

“It has helped me to get back to my faith as a Christian. I started going to church regularly and wanting to help other people. I want to give something back. I feel alive again, they’ve given me my life back. It’s God, God looking down. He’s looking after me.”
 
Hope into Action CEO, Jon Kuhrt, said: “There are so many others like Susie who need a fresh start. Our Easter Appeal is an opportunity to raise the resources that make it possible for us to meet the complex needs of those experiencing homelessness.
 
“Easter is a time of new life and resurrection and new possibilities. Can you help us restore hope this Easter to people affected by homelessness? Please donate to our Easter appeal and help more people like Susie find a new life and a new hope.”

Donate to the appeal at: www.hopeintoaction.org.uk/easterappeal2025
 
Watch Susie tell her story at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGVROhr0nB8
 
Susie recently shared her story with Norwich church leaders at a Connect Norwich lunch, read more here.

Hope into Action currently has 13 houses across Norfolk, providing accommodation for 39 people.

Debra Green, Norwich Team Lead explained that “what makes Hope into Action different to other housing organisations and other supported homeless accommodation, is that every house that we have is partnered with a church. The idea of that is that the church address the relational poverty.”

Contact Debra Green for more information: debra.Green@hopeintoaction.org.uk

Pictured above is Susie Mayhew. Picture courtesy of Hope into Action.