Dave spent most of his life in the Army but when he came home he found himself lost and sleeping on a friends sofa.
The situation couldnt last forever and eventually Dave ended up moving into a homeless hostel.
He said he felt hed lost his independence and his identity, but when he took up cooking, he started to get it back.
When it comes to Christmas the thing many of us are most excited about is a huge turkey dinner with all the trimmings.
But for some, particularly those who have experienced a period of homelessness, the idea of being able to cook a roast is simply out of their reach.
Christmas is 'just another day' say homeless people at festive shelter
It may not be top of many peoples lists, but owning your own oven is a luxury that many cant afford.
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Daves cooking classes at his hostel gave him a purpose and he even ran his own supper club for residents.
When he eventually moved into his own flat it was supposed to be a fresh start, but without an oven, his beloved cooking was taken away from him.
Not having a cooker made me anxious, Dave said. I like to cook every day for myself and my three kids.
Luckily, homelessness charity Fresh Start has been fundraising to buy ovens for those who cant afford them, making sure families this Christmas havent gone without.
Dave said it was the best present he and his family could ask for.
He added: We will be having a roast chicken dinner for our first meal.
Fresh Start said that around the Christmas period, not having an over makes the time of year even harder for people who are already stretched.
All around, messages of indulging in delicious treats and sitting down for tasty meals are shown almost at the turn of every corner, a spokesman for the charity said.
We want to make this a reality for people who have been homeless.
More: UK
Sally was referred to Fresh Start after experiencing long-term homelessness and suffering from mental health issues.
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She went years without a cooker but says she is now creating healthy, delicious meals for herself for the first time in her life.
My new cooker is wonderful, I clean it every week, Sally said.
I cant thank the Fresh Start team enough for all their help.
To donate to the Cookers for Christmas appeal visit the Just Giving page and to find out more about Fresh Start visit the website here.
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