Lee left home in March. It wasn’t the first time, but this time he never went back. That is normal for many of the people for whom we care, but Lee added a twist: he didn’t pack, he didn’t know where he was going and he couldn’t even tell you why he was leaving. He left behind a worried father and stepmother; Lee is 22, but he has learning disabilities and a muscular disease called dystonia, which makes everything from walking to speaking a challenge for this young man.

St George’s Crypt in Leeds found Lee a place in Prospect House, a local authority hostel for homeless young men. This time, he was determined not to go home. At Prospect House he was introduced to Caring For Life and to George, one of the floating support team staff, who began supporting him. Lee applied for council accommodation, because he wanted his own home, and soon he received a flat near Crag House Farm. He would not have been able to maintain his independence alone, and the flat was not just bare – it was in serious need of cosmetic work. But George brought him some carpet a supporter had donated, cut it to shape, and found some paint for Lee to cover the stained walls. He also brought furniture to fill the living room and bedroom, along with kitchen necessities.

This was just the beginning of Lee’s new life. George took him to the farm for a visit, and before long Lee was making his way up every morning, spending five days a week working on the conservation project and sometimes helping with the animals. “I enjoy it up here,” Lee says. “It’s better than being sat at home – it gets boring at home.” His extensive knowledge of TV programs is a testament to how he once spent his days: “I watched so much of it, if I were to tell you the truth,” he says. Now, he is often the first person to arrive at the CFL refrectory in the morning. Sometimes he is waiting to get in at 6.30am, before our staff arrive to prepare breakfast.

Outside of work, he has been keeping busy painting and decorating his flat. Lee also attends church now, something he hadn’t done in years, and he’s taken a keen interest in what he has heard there. He comes whenever there’s a lift available, which there often is, as Martyn, from CMP, usually picks him up.

As Lee settled into his new life, George recognised one important issue he had yet to address. Lee has two younger brothers, a sister and parents who care about him. To prevent the rift from growing, George invited them to see what Lee has been doing with himself. So, one day in August, his parents and two youngest brothers arrived at Crag House Farm. Lee was nervous, but his Dad gave him a big hug and his brothers followed him around the farm, fascinated by what they saw. George helped Lee give the tour, telling his family about the projects and what Lee was involved in. His parents took it all in, meeting many of Lee’s new friends.

Then Lee’s family visited his flat. It is on the ground floor of a beige stucco two-story building near shops and buses. It looks fresher inside than out, with its new paint and carpet. Lee’s parents told George that they were glad Lee had his independence, that he is happy and safe here.

So far, Lee seems more settled than he was in previous years. “I just want to stay in that flat for as long as I can,” he says. The reason he moved on before, he says, is that he wanted independence. Does he feel independent now? “It’s getting there, isn’t it?” he says.

However far Lee progresses, Caring For Life will always be there to support him in his new way of life.