Ten years ago, Harry Byrne was a 13-year-old boy having to deal with the sudden death of his mum.
He admits life in Coventry started to unravel as he skipped school. Eventually he became a homeless sofa-surfer.
“Life was chaotic. I was struggling with my mental health, I had no job, no qualifications and no home.
“I felt like I had no real prospects or skills. It was a dark time.”
But on Wednesday, 23-year-old Harry was at Buckingham Palace meeting King Charles after winning The King’s Trust National Achiever of the Year award.