Not Home is part of a collaboration between Sarah Butler, the charity Justlife and the photographer, Stephen King. 
The probation woman had said it was a B&B, which had sounded all right. He’d stayed in B&Bs as a kid, on holiday with his parents in Blackpool and Rhyll – remembers frilly curtains, bacon for breakfast, the smell of the sea when you opened the front door. He doesn’t need to go inside this house to know that it’s not what any sane person would call a B&B.
Meet the residents of ‘a B&B in a half-forgotten bit of East Manchester' – Ken's words, and he ought to know, he's lived in room 1 for twenty-two years. Angel’s in room 3 – she’s got herself clean and has a plan to get her little boy back from social services. Room 4 is Jimmy, who’s just heard that the man he put inside ten years ago is out and looking for him. Mike in room 5 is the newest resident, fresh out of jail with every intention of changing his life for the better – he just needs to stay away from the lads, and the drugs. Piotr and Charles share room 6. Piotr is a Polish labourer with a bust-up shoulder; Charles, a Londoner, has been sent to Manchester by housing services because they have nowhere for him to stay in the capital – he just wants to get back to his kids. And room 2? That’s Ewan’s room, but he’s gone missing...
Sarah wrote this book in collaboration with the charity Justlife who celebrate their 10th anniversary this year. Justlife support and advocate for people living in unsupported temporary accommodation in Manchester. Written with the input of Justlife’s clients, the novella, Not Home will sit alongside a companion text, also titled Not Home: a series of true-life stories with accompanying portraits taken by photographer Stephen King. The aim of the project is to create both a great piece of art, and raise awareness of this hidden homeless population and the issues they face.
The book will be launched on Saturday 17 November as part of Manchester’s first Interational Arts and Homelessness Festival. The exhibition will run at the International Anthony Burgess Foundation, Manchester, 17 (12pm-3pm) and 18 (12pm-4pm) November and then move to the People’s History Museum, Manchester 19 January to 31 March 2019. The project is funded by Arts Council England’s Grants for the Arts programme.
The book will be given away free and will be available to download from Justlife’s website www.justlife.org.uk. For a physical copy, email: [email protected]