Mark was homeless and sleeping in his car. Now he’s just graduated with a first-class degree

Mark Eaton-Lees has just graduated from Swansea University with a first-class degree – it’s a far cry from the spell he spent homeless and living in the back of his car.

Eaton-Lees, 47, from Wolverhampton, was working as a transport manager back in 2014 when he decided to leave his home in Chorley, Lancashire, to pursue his dream of running a scuba diving centre in Devon.

But when it came to moving into his new rented room, he learned the property was no longer available. With no alternative accommodation and limited savings, a hotel wasn’t an option and he was forced into homelessness.

But the 40 days he spent living in the back of his car proved to be a life-changing experience. It put him on a path to helping others struggling without a home.

“I found a free restaurant car park in Exeter, bought a pillow and a duvet, and slept in my Volkswagen Polo,” said Eaton-Lees.

Embarrassed and afraid of being discovered, Eaton-Lees would wake at 6am and wouldn’t return until late in the evening.

He would stay in the free Toby Carvery car park but leave early to avoid being spotted by parents and pupils at a nearby school.

“I was petrified of anyone seeing me,” said Eaton-Lees. “I was six foot tall in the back of a Volkswagen Polo and I just didn’t fit.”

Eaton-Lees would walk to Tesco and survive on reduced stock and head to a nearby service station for a shower. He’d head into Exeter city centre to use the library or walk around the cathedral until it was safe to return to the car. 

Without access to clean clothes or facilities, applying for office jobs was impossible. Instead, Eaton-Lees began searching for work as an HGV driver, hoping to sleep in the truck. But his health had deteriorated by the start of 2015.

“There was a night when I struggled to wake up, and when I did, I had huge brain fog. I’m pretty sure these were early signs of hypothermia,” he said. “It was scary, but I knew then that I couldn’t go on as I was.”

Eaton-Lees said he “knew then it had come to an end” and told his parents the reality of his situation, having previously been “too proud” to do so.

His parents put money for a carvery and a train fare in his account and Eaton-Lees moved back to his native Wolverhampton in early 2015. He began working as a long-distance courier driver while living with his brother for six months.

One day, while delivering boxes of wine to Marks & Spencer near Winchester cathedral, he met a young homeless man.

The conversation the pair had left him in “floods of tears” and determined to find a solution to the “bigger picture” on homelessness.

“We sat there, and he started talking about his journey. I told him a bit about my journey,” said Eaton-Lees. “From there, there were just questions upon questions about questions from questions. I went into Costa, I got us both coffee and a sandwich and we just sat there on the floor. And it did change my life.

“I couldn’t understand how someone so young could be there. It’s a beautiful place, a beautiful cathedral and people were just walking past it. People saw him, but nobody was really noticing him. That’s the problem we have now. The questions were amplified in my head. I’ve got to find out more.”

Determined to gain a deeper understanding of homelessness, Eaton-Lees completed a foundation course and, in 2022, began a degree in criminology and social policy at Swansea University.

“I didn’t know what social policy really was at first, but I’m glad I chose this degree,” he said. “It’s helped me explore issues like the Vagrancy Act and how homelessness is criminalised. I’ve realised how interconnected social policy and homelessness are.”

Through a lecturer’s introduction, Eaton-Lees began volunteering with Shelter Cymru, and later with Llamau, Crisis and Expert Link – supporting helplines, advising boards, and preparing meals for those in need.

Read more:

• How Wales is showing the way for England on homelessness with one simple change
• ‘Explain to me why I’m homeless’: Rough sleeper’s rage tells us a lot about what’s keeping people homeless
• Homeless people were given free cash to buy what they want – here’s what they spent their money on

He is also working with the Bevan Foundation to research the impact of temporary accommodation on children in Wales.

Eaton-Lees also attended the Homeless World Cup in Sacramento last year with Street Soccer Scotland.

“Wales is leading the way with preventative approaches like Upstream Cymru, which focuses on school-based early intervention,” he said. “And, if passed, the proposed Homelessness and Social Housing Allocation (Wales) Bill could be a game-changer. There’s still a lot to be done, but it’s a promising step forward.”

Eaton-Lees’ next destination is the University of Sheffield to pursue a master’s degree in social research, exploring the connections between autism and homelessness – an area he says remains largely overlooked.

Eaton-Lee’s experience of homelessness now fuels his studies – and his determination to make sure others don’t face the same struggles.

“It might sound strange, but I’m glad I went through it. That experience shaped who I am,” he said. “Swansea University gave me far more than a degree. It helped me discover what drives me. Now I want to make sure others have the chance to find their own path too.”

It’s a journey that Eaton-Lees could barely have contemplated when he first bedded down in the back of his car.

“I never thought it was a possibility,” he added. “In all honesty, I’ve driven lorries and worked in shops all my life so to do something academic, I never thought it would have been a possibility. It’s just that conversation that changed me.”

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