Rick shares his story
I first got into alcohol when I was about 11. My mate’s mum and dad were alcoholics. From there I tried cannabis. My family never knew about it, I used to stay out a lot. At weekends I used to stay at my mate’s. It slowly progressed. My schooling was affected, I stayed off school smoking cannabis. Weekends I was always drinking.
At 15 I left school, started working, started getting into trouble with the police, drunk, roughly about 15, being drunk and disorderly, criminal damage. I tried all kinds of jobs but I could never hold a job down. I was always getting into trouble and I started losing jobs.
Now I’m doing well at Stage 2, I’m volunteering at probation helping other addicts and alcoholics. I’m starting a new project for people in addiction helping us get into work. I come back to help with the other lads who are just getting started. Since I’ve come to THOMAS this time, it’s given me my family back, my mum, my dad, my brother and my sisters. They’re always on the phone. Before I came to THOMAS I had no friends, now my phone’s ringing every day. I’ve got loads of mates. People from AA, NA they’re always on the phone to me.
Carl has had a great year. He is a great ambassador for THOMAS in Salford.
I came straight into THOMAS from prison. Before that I had a hectic life, I was in and out of prison. THOMAS has made me realise that I can handle life without drugs and drinking. It’s educated me, I do courses now, I never finished anything at school, I never got a qualification.
Now I’m doing a counselling and sociology course. I’ve been with THOMAS for about 15 months, it’s completely changed my life.
I’m running an abstinence group with 2 others from THOMAS at Salford probation. We’re telling other addicts what we did to get clean and show them a better life. Things have changed and come full circle for me because of THOMAS. Without that, I wouldn’t be sat here today.”
Karl completed our rehab and is now volunteering with us.
I came to THOMAS about 2 years ago. I’ve been clean for about 15 months. At college, I’ve done health and social care level 1, I’ve done counselling, psychology and bee keeping and I’m now studying the psychology of crime.
I’ve retaken my English and maths and I’m helping adults to read and write. I hope to become a drug and alcohol worker, hopefully within the THOMAS project itself.