James Bowen

“Always look on the bright side of life. You never know what is around the corner.”

“I ended up homeless in London at 19.”

“I believe everybody is in control of their own destiny.”

“I felt no one really understood me.”

“Dogs do provide security on the street but often people don't train them properly and they will go for you.”

“My mum was a product of the Eighties - she always spent more money than she could make. She'd start these businesses but she always ended up selling them, or they just collapsed.”

“I became homeless because I was staying with my sister, and I didn't get on with my brother-in-law. I was a teenage tearaway goth, I was very angry, and my sister and her husband were raising two children, and it was probably a bit too much having me hanging around.”

“Dogs are very loyal to their masters but with cats you're the servant.”

“Nobody chooses to become homeless, but sometimes there are definitely those who become complacent in their homelessness, which is tragic in a way, but it's their choice.”

“Having an animal who relied on me made so much difference. He gave me a reason to get my life together. I started looking after myself better in order to look after him.”

“I can't move five feet without somebody wanting a photograph or an autograph.”

“It's amazing to be able to give back.”

“Animals are great for calming the spirit when you're stressed.”

“Going from income support to one of the higher tax tiers overnight... you'd think there'd be a 12-step programme.”

“I had to change schools constantly, which meant I was never really stable. I was bullied a lot, too.”

“Cats are very affectionate. But you have to earn their love.”

“I try and raise money and awareness for the Blue Cross.”

“I don't know why, but people seem to be fascinated to learn how some members of society fall through the cracks. I think it's partly that feeling that... it could happen to anyone. But I think it also makes people feel better about their own lives. It makes them think, 'Well, I may think my life is bad, but it could be worse, I could be that poor sod.”

“It's important to me that I've got a roof over my head and that I can look after myself. Aside from that, I'm happy that I'm now in a position to be a voice for the voiceless.”

“Some people think you've chosen to sleep on the street. People don't choose to lose their jobs or suffer from mental health problems. The vast majority of people who are vulnerably housed or homeless don't have any other choice.”