“THIS time last year I had more hopes that I would get there, but as the years are going by I’m feeling like its further and further away.”

That is the heartbreaking admission of a homeless Oxford women who died last month.

UPDATE: Another homeless death - churchyard man was sleeping rough

Footage has emerged of Sharron Maasz, one of a string of homeless people to die in the city, speaking about her plight in 2012.

In an Invisible People video, she is asked about having three wishes.

Her voice cracks and she says: “That’s a question... Have somewhere to live, get my children back and just be back to living like a normal person.”

She continues: “I have been sleeping rough for a couple of years. I left to go to a women’s refuge in Birmingham and came back because my children were being threatened by my ex partner.

“I’m sleeping out in children’s parks around Cowley at the moment because the police wasn’t happy when we were sleeping round the town and I had an incident that happened in the town centre, so I’m not really happy about sleeping out because of my mental health issues.”

OXFORD MAIL HOMELESSNESS INVESTIGATION:

- Council to 'review tragedy on our streets'

- Oxford 'must do more' as some unaware of SWEP

- Oxford homelessness in numbers - and the services available

And just five months ago, she told the Guardian: "I just want to get my life sorted. I want to put a lid on all the chaos.”

The drug-addicted grandmother’s death, in an intermediate home after a long period sleeping rough and a spell in hospital, shocked the homeless community on January 21. Being ‘Oxford born and bred’, the 44-year-old was a well-known figure.

Oxford Mail: Picture: Ed NixPicture: Ed Nix

An inquest has opened into her death.

- Homeless deaths in Oxford a 'stark reality'

Conceding that it was too cold to sleep out, she talks about how, until 2003, she worked full-time helping rough sleepers, which helped when she became homeless.

She recalls: “I always used to give them money at Christmas and look after them.

READ AGAIN:

- Opinion: 'How we can do more to help our city's homeless'

- Oxford's homelessness crisis needs a 'bold and brave' solution

- Homeless before Christmas - 69 Oxford women evicted as social housing block put up for sale

- Opinion: We need to learn from the 'hidden homeless'

“At the moment I don’t know (what my future is), I’ve got a drinking problem and mental health problems and I can’t change anything until I get permanent accommodation. I fled mine through domestic violence."

Asked ‘how do you survive’, she pauses and answers: “By the grace of God, I think.

“When you’re homeless, its day-to-day, you’re living hand to mouth. I don’t know how I’m going to be able to progress. It’s very difficult.”

Beginning to breakdown, she adds: “I’ll be honest with you, this time last year I had more hopes that I would get there, but as the years are going by I’m feeling like its further and further away."