Celebration In Recovery

I came to Phoenix House after 36 years of drugs, crime and prison. I’ve counted as the years went by, almost 27 years in prison, all over Great Britain. I punished my body with drug addiction.

It is a selfish disease. My family suffered. It’s remarkable I am sat here alive today. Not just jail but treatment centres all over Britain. My very first rehab was a place called “Inward House” which was in Lancaster.

I was released from Wymatt prison near Leyland, Lancashire. I was supposed to go to Inward House on the day of release. Instead, I went to Morecambe Bay and got heroin and Temazepam sleepers.

I arrived there the next day and said I hadn’t used drugs! It turned out they were asking would I take a drugs test. So, I was lying straight away. I went there to change, and I was already lying to them. I was there 3 months. I decided to leave in August of 1997.

So, I packed my stuff and sneaked out only to go to a doctor and get 28 yellow valium. It was the biggest mistake I ever made. So, years and years of prison time has taken its toll on me.

The community here is tremendous.

The support I have is so valuable. But inevitably the health issues I have is the price of 36 years of addiction. The prize at the end of my time will be massive. Never have I managed to stay drug free.

The support here and outside I have is going so important. I am 52 years old, and I hope by my 53rd birthday to be clean.

'God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. Courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.'