{"id":6548,"date":"2024-02-28T15:40:36","date_gmt":"2024-02-28T15:40:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.depaul.org.uk\/?post_type=blog&p=6548"},"modified":"2024-02-28T15:42:02","modified_gmt":"2024-02-28T15:42:02","slug":"our-client-ambassador-liam-has-been-chosen-for-a-special-trip-to-munich-in-recognition-of-his-work-with-young-people","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.depaul.org.uk\/blog\/our-client-ambassador-liam-has-been-chosen-for-a-special-trip-to-munich-in-recognition-of-his-work-with-young-people\/","title":{"rendered":"Our client ambassador Liam has been chosen for a special trip to Munich in recognition of his work with young people"},"content":{"rendered":"
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We were thrilled for client ambassador Liam when he was recently chosen from a host of individuals by the Manchester Munich Memorial Foundation (MMMF) for an all-expenses trip to Munich to take part in their annual memorial service.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The MMMF, who raise money for local charities in memory of those who died in the 1958 Munich air disaster, said that Liam\u2019s hard work to turn his life around and help others had been \u2018tremendous\u2019 and was one of the reasons he\u2019d been chosen.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Liam, who spent years sofa-surfing and sleeping on public benches before he found support through our Pathfinder service, now uses his own experience to help other young people at risk of homelessness. He was part of a group of staff accepting a generous \u00a312,000 donation from the foundation when he was awarded with the honour for his ambassador role.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBeing an ambassador gives me the opportunity to work with people coming into the service now\u201d, he told the MMMF. \u201cBecause I\u2019m in their age bracket, they can speak to me in ways they might not to the staff. So, they can confide in me. I can tell them about my experiences, how I\u2019ve come through it. Telling them it\u2019s not going to be easy, but what you put in, you\u2019re going to get out.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been on the other side. I\u2019ve been where they are. If there was someone like me when I first joined, I think it would have been a bit easier to put my guard down. It\u2019s nice to have that ability to show them that it\u2019s possible, that I\u2019m here now. It gives me purpose.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s the recognition of all the hard work Liam has put in during his time with Depaul UK that impressed the MMMF when making their choice.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cW<\/span>e looked at Liam,\u201d said Ifty Ahmed, the foundation\u2019s chairman, \u201csaw that his mother died when he was just 16 and he lost his family home. We also saw that he\u2019s still managed to turn his life around, thanks to the help of Depaul UK and himself, we think this is tremendous.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For Liam, a proud Mancunian, it\u2019s not just an opportunity to represent his city, but also the chance for a break that otherwise might not have been possible.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s still not sunk in<\/span> properly,\u201d said Liam. \u201cLike, wow, I\u2019m going. Everything\u2019s paid for. <\/span>I\u2019m a history buff, so having the ability to go there, see it, and Munich is supposed to be a beautiful city.<\/span> Someone like me, it\u2019s not like I\u2019m flushed with cash. I don\u2019t really have the opportunity to pay to go on holiday. Best I can hope for is, like, Blackpool.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cI\u2019m looking forward to going to the memorial to pay my respects. Although it doesn\u2019t matter what team you support, at the end of the day, for me it\u2019s all about Manchester. It\u2019s part of our culture. It\u2019s who we are. It\u2019s engraved. In primary school, we learn about Munich. You know, it\u2019s not just about football. It\u2019s about the lives that got lost.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI hope my story shows that it\u2019s possible to go through hardship and come out the other side and still be recognised. It shows that anything is possible with hard work. For me, it\u2019s not been plain sailing and there were times that I wanted to give up. I\u2019m so glad I didn\u2019t.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n

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