“I left home, no phone, no money… really, I hadn’t a clue,” raps Taelor Newport on Second Chance, a track he has written about his experience as a homeless teenager.
Taelor tells his story with wit and honesty through his music.
Currently living at Curo’s Bath Foyer project in Twerton and working at a city centre restaurant, 23-year-old Taelor is getting his life back on track and making music again, something that helped him through difficult times as a child.
“When I was at school, a group of friends used to see older Bath groups like YMP and we wanted to follow in their footsteps,” says Taelor.
“I started going to a youth club called Riverside in Snow Hill. That really got me into music. I didn’t think I could rap – but I wanted to enter their talent competition. So I wrote a song about a girl, I practiced as much as I could… and I won.”
But his musical journey took place against a backdrop of a troubled home and school life.
“Things weren’t going well at home and I was being bullied at school,” he recalls.
“I first left home when I was about 14, staying with various mates and my cousin. Eventually I was persuaded to move back home but I could only put up with so much. When I was 16 I walked out again.”
The years that followed were hard, but Taelor has high praise for the support professionals who’ve helped him. These include workers at the Bath-based DHI partnership, which Curo belongs to.
Since arriving at the Bath Foyer, which has its own small music studio, Taelor has rekindled his passion for music.
He linked up with Andrew Lawrence at the neighbouring Rec House Studio to record new tracks, including Second Chance.
Having already won three Bath talent shows as a youngster, Taelor returned to the stage in July, performing at Twerton’s Got Talent. Although he didn’t add to his collection of wins, he was described as ‘extremely talented’ by the judges.
Today, Taelor has a job he loves and is getting on well with his family again. Curo’s Working Well project, which helps young people gain life and employment skills, has supported Taelor to get back into playing rugby regularly.
“The support here at the Foyer is important to me. Now I’m ready to move on and I’m looking for a place of my own,” he said.
* The Starts at Home campaign, which is backed by Bath-based Curo, celebrates supported housing and tells the stories of people in communities across the country who have gained independence or rebuilt their confidence through these vital services.
