Joe, when I came back from the Philippines in 2003 and found that my wife had found a new man during my absence, I was standing at 'her' front door, homeless, jobless, with a flight bag and £180 to my name...having left 99% my stuff in the Philippines....never to be seen again.

Does that count as being in 'poverty' ?

Booking myself into the YMCA hostel . Poverty ?

Though in shock and despair at losing my family and my home, the next day I went looking for work. I first laid a floor in a company's office, which earned me fifty quid.

I was then offered a job door-knocking for wall insulation and hopefully selling it. Commission-only.

I had no transport, and only construction boots to put on my feet, so I worked locally. My sister gave me a warmer jacket.

That is not easy work, and a lot would turn their noses up at it, but it enabled me to earn some money and start saving for a car and better accommodation so that I didn't have to walk the 3 miles each way to see my son, after having walked all day long too (at the age of 52). Spending time with my son was what kept me going, even though the surroundings in a hostel weren't the best.

I kept working, pounding the streets in all weathers, gradually building up some funds until I could buy an old car and some outings with my boy.

When the duty-free cigs ran out I went to the smoking clinic and got some patches, which enabled me to stop smoking for the next 3 years.

And so it went on, until little by little, working hard every day, including Saturdays, I was able to find a nice little place to rent and some reasonable transport. No work...no money. Always commission-only. No benefits.

So yes, I know what poverty is, and hardship, and making things happen through your own efforts.