Charlie Smith
A HOMELESS British man rescued by big-hearted expats has walked an incredible FIVE times around Spain over the last five years.
Graham Nobbs, from Kent, revealed that he has hiked the length and breadth of the country on many occasions during his time sleeping rough.
That is an incredible 25,000 miles… or the distance of the earth’s circumference, he told the Olive Press.
It comes after we revealed how the 69-year-old had been offered help and a home by British expats in Almeria during his sixth circuit of the country.
The group of half a dozen kind-hearted locals from Albox, stepped in after they found him sleeping in a supermarket car park.
“They have been marvellous, without them none of this would be happening,” he revealed, after they scooped him up at Lidl and gave him a bed.
“Life on the road was always up and down. I was always floating, always in suspense.“And the weather was the most challenging thing, particularly the rain” added the former shop assistant.
Apart from sometimes walking for 14 hours in a row to find a shelter, he revealed how he had been attacked by a fellow rough sleeper and was once rushed to hospital after collapsing by the side of the road.
“This one guy tried to stab me and I had to kick him in the stomach to escape,” he said.
“There have been plenty of hairy moments though and you have to try not to show fear.”
He continued: “I had a problem where I had a semi stroke and collapsed at the side of the road from over-exerting. I had to go to hospital.”
This lack of access to medical facilities and other crucial services is a major problem for those like Graham without a permanent home.
He had landed the life after driving to Spain, after the majority of his family died through sad circumstances in the UK and he became estranged from his sister.
He took to the road, after his car was smashed up by vandals who destroyed his belongings and clothes. He later lost his passport and other ID.
“They destroyed all my pictures and I had no other option,” he insisted.
Luckily, Graham has now been taken in by three expat couples in Albox, as revealed by the Olive Press last issue.
He is managing to get his life back to some normality, as they help him get various documents, including a passport and an NIE, so that he can have proper access to medical care.
One of them Sandie Wines said this week: “We are getting him a passport first and then his UK pension will start to come through in four weeks’ time.”
She added: “Graham will stay with us until everything is sorted so he doesn’t have to travel the streets ever again.”
The group have set up a ‘gofundme’ page which they are using to get Graham back on his feet.
“It’s easier to home a dog than an expat on the street,” joked Sandie’s partner John.
“Very few people put you up, people are wary of the unknown.”
People can donate to Graham here: https://www.gofundme.com/helpforgraham?fbclid=IwAR1e6tueXOZZdI5GrHAtsm78h6yOxlX_izLRnebs9Ml-yXf8hsqMOr-cy7Y
