Happy 50th Edges
Joan Entwistle was one of our first helpers she shares her thoughts
How do we celebrate the magazine’s jubilee? Shall we look back and see how THOMAS was conceived and how the support of Edges sponsors helped to make the dream become reality?
1994 and the first black and white edition of the magazine was produced. St Anne’s parishioners rallied round to offer their time to deliver Edges to all the local churches; others labelled and stamped copies to be sent by mail.
Over the years as the list of sponsors, agencies and other contacts grew it became a slick operation to get the monthly copies of Edges out to all parts of the country and beyond to Scotland, Wales, Northern and Southern Ireland and later they were sent further afield to the United States, South America, Australia, Malta, Pakistan and India. Slowly but surely thousands of copies were sent out and the list of sponsors grew. As Edges grew older so did we.
We marvelled at what was happening at THOMAS. Two very basic flats were rented and two recovering addicts moved in; they were supported by a very willing team of voluntary workers led by Fr Jim. It was the start of THOMAS.
A lot was learned and mistakes were made but things progressed supported by the ever-faithful sponsors. As time went on more accommodation was acquired, the number of clients increased and we began to see success in the plans for these young men. Watching them emerge from pale-faced, ill, fearful-looking young men was like a miracle before our eyes.
It was wonderful to see the transformation. These one time former addicts began to pick up the pieces of their lives, to make contact with their families asking for forgiveness for all the hurt they had caused.It wasn’t all success; we had our failures, some slipped but they kept in touch with and were supported by the THOMAS Floating Support Team which works with people living in the community.
We the volunteers, now joined by professional workers became a united force. Our Chief Executive began to fulfill his dream of an Academy. Witton Bank was purchased followed by sites in Salford and Blackpool. Some clients went to college; some became mentors and managers of our establishments.
Time has flown and THOMAS, with the help of grants which had to be fought for and our sponsors who kept the donations flowing despite the fact that Edges seemed to have disappeared, grew and prospered beyond our wildest dreams. Today we look back and realise that fifteen years have passed and we are a little older and hopefully a little wiser.
It is time to thank not just our Edges sponsors but ‘The Higher Power’ that we all rely on. Call this Power what you will, God, Allah, Good against Evil or The Twelve Steps, without this guiding light THOMAS would have been nothing. The fight against addiction is a hard one; it takes commitment and strength of character, but most of all a belief in The Higher Power.
The guiding light for all of us, from the addict seeking help, to the Edges/THOMAS team, who have now rather more grey hairs and a few wrinkles, is the belief that we are doing a worthwhile job and making a difference to our lives.
Edges and its sponsors were at the start of all this fantastic enterprise - so Happy Fiftieth Birthday Edges, may you and THOMAS continue to go from strength to strength.
Joan Entwistle