How a homeless man transformed his life by stepping on stage

A man who spent years sleeping rough on the streets of Cardiff has transformed his life by stepping on the stage.

Kevin Machent's life spiralled out of control after losing his brother. After the trauma he turned to alcohol and found himself living on the streets. He says he was labelled as an alcoholic and "nothing".

"I'd drink myself into oblivion," says the 33-year-old. "I'd become a professional jockey, but complications with addiction ruined my career."

Kevin lived on the street for five years. He moved around, but encountered verbal abuse and violence wherever he went.

"I felt no one trusted me. I was very bitter," he says. "If someone offered to help me I'd tell them to go away because I thought they were all words. It was me against the world."

In late 2015, Kevin was sleeping rough in Cardiff when he was set upon by a group of about 15 men as they left a club where they had watched Wales defeat England in the Rugby World Cup. They beat him so badly he lost his front teeth and ended up in hospital.

When his wounds healed he was determined to get off the street. He was offered temporary accommodation and asked if he wanted to take part in Behind the Label, a creative project for vulnerable people who have experienced homelessness and low self-esteem. The scheme encourages people to share their life experiences in a group setting along with fully-staged performances at the Wales Millennium Centre.

The project is funded by the national lottery and has been running for the last three years.

Jennifer Hartley founded Behind the Label and says it's a chance for people to share their story.