Guardian Ambassador
Jacqueline McIntyre Campbell

Guardian and Bistro owner

“I would never have been able to pursue my dream without Ad Hoc”

Hello, my name is Jacqueline, (most people call me Jacky). I’m 59 years old and I’ve been a Guardian for almost a year.

The reason I have become a Guardian is because I was looking for an affordable solution in order to grow the business I’ve established with my son. Together, we run The Artisan Lounge, a coffee lounge serving a small but select menu of gluten free, vegetarian and vegan produce. Because I am trying to build a business, the price of the property was important. At £250 a month for my own bedroom and living room including all bills, it’s a no brainer for me!

My unit is great! The building is Victorian and has lots of space. We have plenty of room and when the building was still in use my unit was painted a vivid green, which I quite like because next to my ochre leather sofa it’s very colourful and really allows me to bring my own personality into the space. The building is a nice place to live; it’s a wonderful big house through which Guardianship has given me the opportunity to live somewhere you would otherwise never be able to afford.

I live with six other people, all of different backgrounds and ages. I particularly like the social aspect of living with such a diverse group of people. The youngest person here is 23, but it’s a real mix of ages. It’s a good way of meeting different people. You have the ability to keep to yourself if you want, as we do not live in each other’s pockets. However, if you want to socialise you can. It’s perfect.

To people thinking about becoming a Guardian I’d say definitely do it! If you like meeting new people and you are looking for some where short-term it is perfect. I want to do it for as long as possible to be honest. It works for me and financially it is fantastic.