AT the moment, life is filled with sewage smells, dust and empty rooms with wires hanging down left, right and centre. Well maybe yours isn’t, but mine is anyway.

It got me thinking about how lost you can feel without having what most would call a home. Our house is being knocked down, bashed about and fixed together again, like a jigsaw puzzle being put together by an impatient five-year-old. But it’s just about waiting for the end result.

As I face a new chapter and will shortly be moving houses altogether, it made me realise how little I actually own and yet I am still happy. I recently watched a documentary by Professor Green about homelessness and it got me thinking how some people live. It amazes me how so many of us are still unable to afford the high cost of living and for this to be on the approach for me, seems a gloomy prospect. The documentary opened up my eyes to the sheer brokenness of these people’s lives and what I loved about the programme was the range of people on there. Whether it was someone who couldn’t afford the rent, had lost their job or just generally preferred sleeping rough to hostels; you can never truly know each individual situation.

But what I thought they captured very well, was that through all of the emotion and the pain, deep down, these were all people who, as Professor Green pointed out, just needed other people and support.

With so many world problems filling our news at the moment it calls for us all to stick together and be strong. For after all, not being safe and secure in itself makes you extremely vulnerable and so it is getting the help that is needed that can make the difference. I read in the news today that Edinburgh are planning an event to help others. It will be the world’s largest ever sleepout event and even celebrities such as Liam Gallagher and Deacon Blue are getting involved. What is nice to see is that these celebrities are bringing this catastrophic issue to the forefront and it is hoping to raise funds to go towards the dedicated charities. The expected turnout will be 9,000. So my question is, if we all do something perhaps we may be able to tackle homelessness.

A number of occasions recently I have allowed myself to acknowledge the kindness of strangers and living with the bare necessities has made me come around to the phrase “it’s the little things that count”.

Of course, homelessness has been on the rise and has always been an issue but it first hit me right in the face last Christmas when I spent the night in London city centre. Every other shop doorway was crammed full of sleeping bags and mattresses and pillows. Every other line would be phrases such as “spare any change please?” or “help the homeless” and it became quite overwhelming, especially to how ignorant I had been on the subject. But in particular, one guy caught my attention.

As I walked down the street, I played my usual tactic of keeping my head low and moving forward. But this particular person shouted after me: “So ignorant of you to ignore my very presence, so very selfish to not even acknowledge me!” And this hit a spark with me, not only because they were deeply angry and upset but also because he had a point. Why didn’t I acknowledge him?

Ever since that day, I have done my very best to at least acknowledge that they were there. I want to help but only through things I know make a difference, like food and water. With so much stigma around the subject it is hard not to be wary. But at the end of the day, the homeless are human and although it is not the case for everyone, when I can't help, nine times out of 10 the response will only be: “No worries darling. Have a good day.”

So, it pays to be a little more aware and remember that potentially this could happen to any of us.

by Nia Powell, who is a former Devizes School, St John's and drama school pupil, who has formed Thee O'Company Theatre.