The plight of Sarah Purcell and her family captivated the community when it was reported in The Examiner last month, and on Friday, they took a big step towards getting their old lives back.
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Ms Purcell was at home with her four children and partner Adam Triffett on November 19, when she realised their George Town home was on fire.
While her children escaped without injury, the damage to the house was catastrophic, forcing them to take up temporary refuge at a shelter.
The family is now set to have its own space until it finds a new home, with Anglicare providing a three-bedroom house for them to stay in.
Ms Purcell said the move would go a long way to relieving some of the stress from the fire.
“It’s great to find more stable accommodation,” she said.
“Since the fire, my partner and I have been staying at opposite ends of town, so we haven’t been seeing that much of each other.
“It’ll be good to be reunited with him, and the kids are also really looking forward to it.
“They have all been fantastic throughout this entire situation.”
Ms Purcell’s predicament prompted an overwhelming response from readers when her story was first shared by The Examiner, with people voicing their support via social media.
The mother of seven said the family’s new living situation will allow her to make full use of the community’s generosity.
“There have been so many people offer us donations, but we haven’t actually been able to take anything yet, because of where we have been staying,” she said.
“Hopefully, when we get settled in this new place, we will be able to make contact with some of those people.
“It’s been a really stressful time, but we are becoming more settled as a family, which is good.”
Anglicare Housing Connect is a free service, which provides information, advice and referral to those in need of housing and support.
It is funded by the Department of Health and Human Services.