Care Opinion

A happy place

Posted By Benyb74

"A happy place"

About: Change Grow Live / Inspire East Lancashire Spectrum Community Health

(as a service user),

I have been into heroin & crack cocaine for 30yrs, in & out of jail too. I was in my forties  & about to lose my kid’s & grandkids, homeless, warrants out for my arrest, I was so depressed.  Once again I was given a 12wk custodial sentence for shoplifting, I came out of prison & straight into recovery with the help of the Carrat team & Spectrum health care within prison, I was so nervous about moving to a new town I had never been, let alone where it was.

I met with my keyworker from Change, Grow,Live’ (CGL) the day I was released straight away.  She made me feel so relaxed & positive about the start of my new journey, I was still nervous though but excited to get started.

I was on  of methadone , then went onto the Buvadol for 6mths, I am now off that too. My keyworker, when we first met, had referred me to other group facilitators, within groups I was interested in doing ‘a new me’ (emerging futures) was one of them, acupuncture was another.

It is now 9mths on & I have engaged with all that was offered to me through my keyworker, also doing NA meetings.  I am about to start an adult course in L1 painting & decorating. I have done voluntary work in flower gardens & the vegetable gardens, I also have all my family back in my life, kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews, brother, sister & my parents, more than I bargained for.  I have been steady for the whole 9 mths now & loving every minute of my life & it’s all thanks to the CGL, my keyworker, & group facilitators who have given me the strength, courage, to do more & be grateful for what I have now, waking up in my own bed every morning, food in my stomach, (food bank’s available) which CGL & probation have also helped with.

If I had known about these services & the help available to us all, then I would of done this all of this a lot sooner.  These services are there to help us get your life back.  My journey to were I am today has opened up so many more possibilities for me now & your journey could also start with taking that first step & ask or get the help that’s needed or wanted. 

Staff skills

Staff skills





Daily living support

Daily living support


Team work

Team work


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Responses

Response from Danielle Smith, Communications and Marketing Lead, Lancashire, Change Grow Live about a year and a half ago
Danielle Smith
Communications and Marketing Lead, Lancashire,
Change Grow Live

Submitted on 15/08/2023 at 14:27
Published on Care Opinion at 16:36

Thank you so much for your kinds words, I'll pass these onto the team. It's great to hear that you're doing so well and we wish you the best for the future.

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Update posted by Benyb74 (a service user)

If I can help anybody out there who is struggling, then I’m happy to help

Response from Mo Amad, Volunteer, Mentor and Service User Involvement Lead, East Lancs, Change Grow Live about a year and a half ago
Mo Amad
Volunteer, Mentor and Service User Involvement Lead, East Lancs,
Change Grow Live

Submitted on 05/09/2023 at 16:24
Published on Care Opinion at 16:43

Thank you for your feedback, please get in touch with us at your local HUB and enquire about local opportunities to volunteer alternatively please take a look at our current volunteer roles https://www.changegrowlive.org/careers-volunteering/volunteering we look forward to hearing from you. Mohammed.Amad@cgl.org.uk

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