From Homelessness to Royal Advisor: Sabrina Cohen-Hatton’s Inspiring Journey
Sabrina Cohen-Hatton’s remarkable journey from sleeping rough as a teenager to advising Prince William on homelessness at Windsor Castle is a testament to resilience and determination. Sharing her personal story, she emphasized that those experiencing homelessness should never be underestimated.
“I stand before you now with a career, a home, a family, and a PhD,” said Sabrina, who currently serves as a chief fire officer. Her visit to Prince William was part of his Homewards project, which recently marked its first anniversary in Lambeth, South London. During the event, Prince William reaffirmed his commitment to ending homelessness, stating, “It is possible to end homelessness.”
The Homewards campaign, a five-year initiative, focuses on six areas across the UK, including Newport, South Wales—where a young Sabrina once slept rough following personal tragedies. She credited selling the Big Issue with saving her life, enabling her to find stable housing and eventually join the fire service, a career she has passionately pursued.
Sabrina shared her lived experiences with Prince William and the Homewards team, highlighting the numerous barriers homeless individuals face. She recounted the difficulty of accessing available support and how practical challenges, such as hostels not allowing pets, can complicate matters. Sabrina also spoke about the long-term impacts of poverty and the pervasive stigma surrounding homelessness.
Prince William expressed empathy and acknowledged the complexity of homelessness, advocating for a shift in perspective and a focus on prevention. Homewards aims to identify and replicate successful strategies to combat homelessness across the UK, with projects in Aberdeen, Bournemouth, Lambeth, Newport, Sheffield, and Northern Ireland.
Initiatives include partnerships with employers to help homeless individuals find work and collaborations with Homebase to provide starter packs for those moving into new accommodations. Efforts are also being made to address the links between relationship breakdowns and homelessness and to place housing officers in schools to identify at-risk youth. The Duchy of Cornwall is building 24 homes with comprehensive support for people transitioning out of homelessness, and Prince William is working on further plans.
At the Brixton event, Sabrina spoke alongside Chris Lynam, who shared his experiences of homelessness and drug addiction, describing the profound loneliness and societal hostility he faced. Prince William called it an “honor” to hear Chris’s story, underscoring the importance of empathy and understanding.
Despite some criticism about a wealthy royal discussing homelessness, many, like George Anderson, a Big Issue seller and medical researcher, appreciate Prince William’s efforts to raise awareness. George highlighted the prince’s ability to evoke empathy and care from those who might be distant from the issue. He drew parallels to Princess Diana, who also used her public profile to support homelessness charities.
Matt Downie, CEO of Crisis, praised the Homewards project for challenging the notion that homelessness is inevitable. He pointed to Finland’s success in reducing homelessness as evidence that prevention is possible, contrasting it with the over 100,000 homeless households in the UK.
Sabrina Cohen-Hatton’s story and Prince William’s dedication to the Homewards campaign offer hope and inspire action, emphasizing that with the right support and perspective, homelessness can indeed be ended.
