Alan is in our Salford Project

I had my first alcoholic drink when I was eight years old, my dad made his own home brew. When I was eleven years old I drank a full bottle of sherry to myself. I was on cannabis then amphetamine by thirteen years of age I was using gas it was cheap to buy I used my dinner money. I left school at thirteen years of age because I couldn’t cope with it, and tried acid, ecstasy and when I was about sixteen I tried heroin and concentrated on that. When I was about eighteen I got some crack from same guy so used heroin and crack. I am thirty eight years old I haven’t used crack for about fifteen years but I used heroin in jail. I was in jail at first for eleven small petty offences car crime but in 1999 I got a life sentence for murder, this was based on revenge. I must have spent twenty years in prison in my life for crimes to get money for my drugs. I did thirteen years for the murder then put in a bail hostel. I had no idea how to function, I was clean but I used to get panic attacks so I started drinking. I asked for help because I couldn’t cope I had nothing to fill my time. After ten weeks I was recalled to prison and during that year they were looking at sending me back to the same hostel. I said it was not going to work; I was being set up for failure. I asked for a rehab and the first name that came up was THOMAS. I had met the team before.

Since coming here it’s a million miles from a bail hostel. I have stability and making initial moves back into society. I have done meetings before but now I have the 12 Steps and my contacts are helping me in everything way to get back into society.

Patrick has joined our Salford Team

I have been working at THOMAS for ten months as a member of staff. Previously I was here on a six months student placement for my Master’s Degree at University. I was doing a social worker’s course but the placement at Salford helped me to decide to do a Master’s in Mental Health Nursing. I saw a correlation in what we do here and mental health issues which I was interested.

I had no knowledge recovery or of the 12 Steps so I learned from scratch over the six months which gave me a sound knowledge and inspired me to do what I am now doing. I am enjoying my time here. I have had a fantastic time and a great induction and I love what the staff here do and I feel privileged to be asked to apply for a project support workers position after my placement.

I have accepted the invitation.