A Christchurch business owner who experienced hidden homelessness while working, raising her children and building her business is sharing her family’s story with BCP Council to encourage others to ask for help before they reach crisis point.
A Christchurch business owner who experienced hidden homelessness while working, raising her children and building her business is sharing her family’s story with BCP Council to encourage others to ask for help before they reach crisis point.
Daisy, known online as South Coast Mum (@southcoastmum_), lived without a permanent home for more than six months while trying to rebuild her family’s life. After being referred to BCP Council, she spoke to a housing case officer who explained the support available to help the family access private rented accommodation, including assistance with a rental deposit.
Now settled in Parkstone, Daisy hopes her story will challenge assumptions about homelessness and encourage anyone worried about losing their home to contact BCP Council’s Homelessness Early Prevention Team as early as possible.
“I think people picture homelessness as sleeping rough,” Daisy says. “But that’s not always what it looks like. You can still get up, go to work, smile at people, take your children to school and still be homeless.”
A dream that took an unexpected turn
Daisy and her husband were running a successful personal training business in Reading and had plans to move to Canada to start a new chapter.
As living costs and rental pressures increased, the family moved in with Daisy’s mum while she was pregnant, intending it to be a temporary solution before their plans abroad became reality.
Instead, a series of setbacks followed. Difficulties surrounding their business premises and the cost of pursuing legal action meant they had to move on and rethink their future.
Canada was no longer an option.
Between Christmas and New Year in 2024, the couple took a day trip to Lymington. They liked the local area and decided to take a leap of faith.
After selling much of their gym equipment, they opened their new personal training business in Christchurch in May 2025.
But while the business was beginning to grow, they still had nowhere permanent to live.
Initially, they continued commuting from Reading before buying a campervan and living across several campsites. For more than 6 months the family lived without a permanent home whilst trying to rebuild their lives.
“It wasn’t sustainable,” Daisy says. “You don’t realise how much having a home underpins every part of your life until you don’t have one.”
When home isn’t just a house
By late 2025, the emotional impact had become overwhelming.
Without savings for a rental deposit and struggling to meet landlords’ income requirements as self-employed business owners, finding somewhere to rent felt impossible.
“Home is the foundation for everything,” Daisy explains. “Without that security, your mental health suffers, your physical health suffers and every decision becomes harder because you’re constantly in survival mode.”
Looking back, Daisy says one thing she wishes she had known earlier was that help was available.
“When we were living in Reading, I didn’t realise we could have contacted the council for housing advice and support. If I’d known then what I know now, I would have reached out much sooner.”
Eventually, Daisy contacted Dorset Council before being referred to BCP Council.
She says speaking to her BCP housing case officer gave her a clearer understanding of the options available.
“It was reassuring to finally speak to someone who could explain what support was available. Until then I just felt like we were going in circles.”
Her case officer explained the support available to help the family access private rented accommodation, including assistance with a rental deposit. Daisy then contacted letting agents until she found a landlord willing to give them a chance.
The family are now settled in their home in Parkstone.
Councillor Kieron Wilson, Cabinet member for Housing and Regulatory Services at BCP Council, said:
“I’d like to thank Daisy for sharing her family’s story so honestly. It takes considerable courage to talk publicly about a time when your family felt vulnerable and uncertain about the future. What stands out to me is that this could happen to far more people than most of us realise.
“Daisy wasn’t sleeping rough. She was raising her daughter, running a business and working hard to build a future for her family. From the outside, many people would never have known she was experiencing homelessness.
“Her story is a powerful reminder that homelessness is not always visible. Behind closed doors, people can be carrying enormous worry, uncertainty and exhaustion while trying to keep everyday life going.
“Nobody should feel ashamed of asking for help. Reaching out takes real courage and the sooner someone feels able to do that, the more options may be available. We want people to know that support is there, and that they do not have to face these challenges alone.”
Accepting help takes courage
Moving into an empty property brought another challenge.
Acts 4 Sharing, a charity based in Ringwood, helped provide many of the everyday essentials that transformed a house into a home.
Over Christmas, the family also relied on food banks.
“It took everything in me to walk through the doors of the food bank,” Daisy says. “I felt ashamed, even though I knew I was doing it to feed my family.”
She also credits her NHS health visitor with helping her access support during one of the most difficult periods of her life.
“My health visitor was incredible. She made sure I knew what support was out there and helped me access it. Sometimes you just need someone to tell you that it’s okay to ask for help.”
Looking back now, Daisy hopes sharing this part of her story helps others realise that needing support can happen to anyone at any point in their life.
“People don’t see hidden homelessness. They don’t realise how many families are living on sofas, in vehicles or moving between temporary places while trying to keep life looking normal.”
Turning lived experience into purpose
Now settled in Parkstone, life is looking very different.
Their fitness business is growing, and Daisy has found a new passion through her online community.
Known to thousands on Instagram as @southcoastmum_, she began sharing affordable fashion, charity shop finds and styling inspiration.
That passion has since evolved into designing a sustainable bag, created through a successful crowdfunding campaign. When the bags launch, a portion of the profits will be donated to support a local charity helping people facing hardship.
For Daisy, however, the project is about much more than fashion.
“My mission is to support people in crisis and to help people realise that circumstances can change for anyone. If sharing my story encourages just one person to reach out for help, then it’s been worth it.”
She hopes her family’s experience encourages others experiencing hidden homelessness to seek support as early as possible.
“I want people to know that the council isn’t there to judge you. They’re there to help. Reaching out was the hardest thing I did, but it completely changed the direction our lives were heading.”
Help is available
BCP Council and the Homelessness Partnership work with people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness to provide advice, practical support and help people access suitable accommodation wherever possible. Support is also available through a range of local partners, including health services, charities and community organisations.
If you or someone you know is worried about losing their home or is experiencing homelessness, don’t wait until you reach crisis point. Help is available, and seeking support early can make all the difference.
