John Priestley opens pop-up art gallery in Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre

Date published: 26 July 2019

Former homeless man John Priestley has opened his first art gallery in the Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre, where he hopes to change the public perception of being homeless.

John, who was named volunteer of the year at the Manchester Be Proud Awards 2018, opened his gallery at the Rochdale Business Improvement District's pop-up space in the Wheatsheaf Centre on Monday (22 July), where he was joined by Mayor Billy Sheerin, who cut a ribbon.

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/124639/john-priestley-wins-volunteer-of-the-year-award

John, 62, became homeless in 2015 after he suffered a nervous breakdown after being evicted. At the time, he was being funded by the European Community to set up a business. However, his benefits and the grant by the European Community clashed, cancelling one another out, and John ended up with nothing.

He spent the next four-and-a-half months sofa surfing before he ended up on the streets of Rochdale.

 

 

Reminiscing, John said: “I was rescued in November 2015 from a bench near the Ukrainian church by a kind stranger. It was -5 that night. I’m sworn to secrecy who it is, but he took me back to his and let me sleep on the floor. He took me to the council the Monday after and got me back on their system.

“He saved my life and he is always in my heart.”

After spending some nights at emergency accommodation, John was housed at Hansell House Sanctuary Trust for around eight months, before moving to supported accommodation with The Limes in Castleton.

 

 

“Someone once called me a dirty old tramp. People have this horrible misconception about homeless people. Everything turned around in around eight months for me. I was at rock bottom, but it’s a solid foundation to build up from.”

Whilst being helped by the Sanctuary Trust, John was treated to around eight or nine art books, having always shown an artistic interest, and undertook art courses with Back on Track, a Manchester charity which supports people who have been homeless or had mental health problems.

 

 

John smiled: “I started rescuing nice pictures from newspapers and upcycling and recycling materials that would be thrown away. That’s a lot better than the tablets [anti-depressants] I was taking. It helps mental wellbeing and gives a sense of pleasure to turn something that would be thrown away into art: it’s inestimable.”

John says his journey with telling his story through his artwork began with a t-shirt he was given, which has the words ‘Not Useless’ emblazoned across the front.

 

 

“I was told I wouldn’t believe it at the time, but that I would do later,” he recalled.

John is now hoping to inspire others through his journey and is taking steps to become a motivational speaker in schools, to challenge some of the misconceptions about homeless people.

“Anyone can find themselves homeless, through whichever situation.”

 

 

John’s gallery houses around 49 pieces of art, with one piece dating back to 1991. Everything else has been created since 2016, telling his journey with becoming homeless and getting back on his feet.

He now volunteers with several organisations and is also part of Andy Burnham’s homeless committee group.

John continued: “When you’re homeless, you do feel like no-one cares. There’s enough rejection in life without being judged for it. People need to look for the good on the inside.

“I’ve been inspired myself by a 10-year-old boy called Elliott. I’ve got one t-shirt here with lots of his ideas on about how to help homeless people, challenging those negative perceptions. Art therapy is about unlocking your potential, and leaving your troubles behind.”

 

 

He continued: “The hardest bit about being homeless was feeling like I had no friends. I found out who my true friends were. You feel hopeless, like you have no-one, the rejection when people walk past and judge you.

“After I was called a dirty old tramp, I felt like ending it all. One person’s sentence could have made me another statistic. Something stopped me, and I decided to fight back.”

“Never give in; there is always hope. Never stop trying because if you don’t try, you won’t succeed, but if you try, you can see what you can achieve. There is no quick fix: it’s getting on the journey in the right direction.”

John added: “The Limes was a key point for me. You have got to be where you feel safe and happy, and my bungalow at The Limes is exactly that. I’ll have been there for three years on 8 August , and it’s been nothing but up.”

Peter Hurley, of The Limes, said: “Everyone at The Limes is very proud of John. He is an inspiration to other tenants, staff and volunteers.”

Paul Ambrose, Rochdale Business Improvement District (BID) Manager, which aims to improve the town centre, said: "The BID was delighted to offer John the use of the pop-up shop to showcase this fantastic art work. 

“John’s story, from being homeless to winning the Be Proud Manchester Volunteer of the year, is remarkable and the BID wishes John every success going forward.”

John will have use of the pop-up space until 19 August, and has already sold one piece for £100, which he has given to Back on Track. 

All the money he raises from his artwork will go to the charities that helped him get off the streets of Rochdale.

Artwork by John Priestley