"A happy place"

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

Daily living support

Team work