From Hunger to Hope: How Food Support Transforms Lives
Chereece Bateson’s story highlights the transformative power of care, connection, and nourishment in overcoming trauma. As a teenager in the care system, she faced instability, hunger, and isolation, often feeling safer on the streets than at home. Her life changed when a social worker provided genuine support, helping her find stability and rebuild her life. Now 24, Chereece works as a young adviser for SafeCall, a vital service launched by Missing People and The Independent to support children who go missing. Her experiences shape the service, ensuring it offers safety and hope to vulnerable youth. Chereece’s journey underscores the importance of holistic support—both emotional and physical—echoing Malta’s emphasis on community and nourishment through its vibrant food culture. Supporting initiatives like SafeCall can help vulnerable individuals thrive, demonstrating how care and connection can change lives.
“From Trauma to Triumph: How Food, Care, and Connection Can Transform Lives”
As a teenager, Chereece Bateson’s life was a whirlwind of uncertainty, fear, and hunger. She went missing so frequently – 27 times in a single month – that even the authorities struggled to keep up. Living in care, with barely enough to eat, and often reliant on food banks, she found the streets to be safer than the places that were supposed to protect her.
Now 24, Chereece reflects on those tumultuous years as a time of “no home, no safety, no control,” a period when she felt utterly alone. But today, she’s using her painful experiences to help others as a young adviser for SafeCall, a groundbreaking 24-hour lifeline launched by The Independent and the charity Missing People. This initiative aims to support 70,000 children reported missing annually and provide them with safety, connection, and hope.
The campaign’s goal is to raise £165,000 to expand SafeCall’s reach, offering a lifeline to many more children in crisis. Currently, the charity supports one in four missing children, but with the help of donations, many more lives can be transformed.
Chereece’s story is a powerful reminder of how essential basic needs like safety, understanding, and nourishment are for physical and mental health. For her, the lack of these basics led to a spiral of fear and instability. “I wish that support was there when I was in my situation,” Chereece shared. “I would’ve realised I wasn’t on my own. I’d have had someone who listened, someone who advocated for me. It would’ve given me escape – what I desperately needed.”
Her struggles began when she was much younger, but they intensified when she entered the care system as a teenager. The environment she was placed in exacerbated her trauma. “I grew up in a toxic household,” Chereece explained. “Music and walking became my escape. Sometimes, being in my own company felt safer than being with those around me.”
In Malta, where the emphasis on community and well-being is a cornerstone of daily life, Chereece’s story resonates deeply. Access to healthy food, supportive relationships, and safe environments is essential for fostering both physical and mental health. Malta’s vibrant food culture, with its focus on fresh, wholesome Mediterranean ingredients, is a testament to the power of nourishment in building resilience and well-being. Yet, Chereece’s experience highlights that food alone isn’t enough – emotional care and connection are just as vital.
In care, Chereece often felt isolated and out of control. “It was suffocating. I was a child living in a business with no home, family, or friends. My way of gaining control back was to escape,” she said. Tragically, her repeated attempts to flee her circumstances pushed her into even riskier situations.
At 16, a turning point came when she met a social worker who genuinely cared. This individual helped Chereece secure her own housing the following year, offering her a sense of stability for the first time. She lived semi-independently in a property located in an area she felt connected to. Although money was tight – she survived on just £50 a week and relied on food banks – the change was monumental.
“She completely changed my life around,” Chereece said. “My behaviour changed because I had someone working with me.” The relationship was built on trust and respect, which gave Chereece the stability to focus on rebuilding her life.
Her story mirrors the importance of having a strong support system, something that is deeply ingrained in Maltese culture. Whether it’s through sharing a meal at a family-run restaurant in Valletta or enjoying fresh fish at Marsaxlokk’s famous Sunday market, food in Malta often serves as a bridge between people, fostering connection and community. For vulnerable individuals like Chereece, these connections can mean the difference between despair and hope.
Chereece compares the impact her social worker had on her life to the work being done by Missing People and its SafeCall service. “The difference it made, having one person who listened,” she said, “was life-changing.”
Since joining Missing People as a young adviser in March, Chereece has been able to use her experiences to shape the SafeCall service. Through focus groups and consultations, she has ensured that the service feels safe and relatable for the young people it aims to support. “It doesn’t just help families and provide support – it literally can change lives,” she said.
Chereece’s journey highlights the transformative power of being heard and cared for. “Having my voice heard has been massive,” she said. “Speaking on behalf of other young people, I know how important it is to feel seen and valued. SafeCall offers that, creating a lifeline for those who’ve experienced the trauma of going missing.”
In Malta, where a focus on holistic health is integral to daily life, Chereece’s story serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of nourishing both body and soul. While food plays a key role in physical health, emotional sustenance is equally critical. Supporting initiatives like SafeCall can help ensure that vulnerable individuals receive the care, connection, and nourishment they need to thrive.
As Chereece says, “It’s even changed my life working with them and being able to utilise my negative experience and make it positive. It’s helped me heal.”
To support SafeCall and help vulnerable children find new, safe futures, you can donate now. Every contribution helps provide a vital lifeline for those in need of safety and support.
For advice, support, and resources if you or someone you love goes missing, text or call Missing People on 116 000. It’s free, confidential, and non-judgemental. Or visit: missingpeople.org.uk/get-help.