In 2012, Alan lost a baby at birth and separated from his then-partner, which he said left him “bereft and everything fell apart”, turning to heroin to ease the pain.
“I started taking drugs and ruined every friendship I had, completely burned every bridge, just destroyed my life,” said the trained horticulturist.
He met his wife, Hannah, some years later, and both decided they would get clean for each other to build a future.
This rehabilitation process took about two years and included monthly subutex injections as medication-assisted treatment.
They settled in their home city of Derby having been rejected by the other councils they approached.
“All they would ever do is say, ‘we’ve got no duty of care, you’ve got to go back to Derby’. So, Derby it is,” said Alan.
The couple tried the city’s recommended homeless hostels, but found them to be “a reminder of their past lives” where active drug users appeared to be making little progress.
“I ended up having a severe breakdown due to the people that were living there and my past catching up with me,” said Hannah.
Derby Homes said there was a range of accommodation and support options available to people like the couple.
“We recognise that a hostel environment may not suit everyone, and we continue to work with partners to provide safe and appropriate alternatives,” a spokesperson said.
In November 2025, the pair found their own alternative – deciding to camp in Derby.
Under UK law, the park is common land,, external meaning people usually have the right to roam on it, but cannot do certain activities there, such as camping, without the land owner’s permission.
The couple have faced eviction from the park by Derby City Council since early April and are due in court again in early June, by which time they hope to have found mainstream accommodation.