In some cases, we’ve been asked to change their names.
Meet Barry & Simon
There are two Stonepillow clients that have a great success story, Barry & Simon have both completed our rehabilitation project at Sands and live together in our move-on accommodation. They have formed a great friendship & proved that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Both Barry & Simon were street homeless, struggling with their addictions. Barry described his past as coping with addiction & chaos, he was a street homeless, street drunk & street begger. Barry got onto the sands programme through his community service. He proved that he could resist committing crimes when he was free from drink & drugs, the sands project had enabled him to find the real him, the sober him.
Simon, also a street homeless battling with drug addiction from an early age of 14, explained that he started to experiment with drugs, however, through losing his mum & many jobs they started to take control of his life. Simon found himself homeless & very underweight in the winter of 2010, one our coldest winters in recent years. Simon decided he needed to take control when he woke up under Worthing Pier lying in the water, he was directed to the Old Glassworks Day Centre & it was there he began the journey to recovery.
Simon stated, “Once you surrender help is out there, I started off bad, two stone lighter than I am today”. Simon did use St Joseph’s night shelter, however, could not fully start his recovery until he had a safe haven with like minded people at the Sands rehabilitation unit. He explains that, having freedom within sands in contrast to lock down therapeutic centers helped him deal with his life choices. As it was him that had the control & he knew where the door was if he wanted to go back & let his addictions take over again.
Today, Barry is working for the Princes Trust as a ‘Leaving prison transition mentor’ & Simon is a part-time student at university on a counseling course. They want to help those that are in situations like they had been. Barry states, “Through being in a ‘safe place’, I have been able to control my life and future plans”. From meeting this pair, it made me realize why it is so vital for me to raise awareness of the importance Stonepillow plays in our community and for vulnerable individuals like Barry & Simon.
Robert’s Story - The Old Glassworks & St Joseph’s Night Refuge
I've been asked if I'd write a short bit on the Old Glassworks and St Joseph's night shelter for the newsletter, which I said I'd gladly do. Well, what can I say about the benefits of both the day centre and the night shelter?
A friendly and safe place to go 9am-3pm, if you're homeless or not, and if you're homeless, it's a godsend. As long as you show respect and kindness and don't take the piss, the fantastic staff will bend over backwards to help you especially if you're in dire need of help from a doctor or with getting accommodation. As soon as you walk through the door you receive a smile and kindness and with today's society you can't ask for more.
Then there's night shelter; clean rooms, good food, a safe environment and a good night’s sleep. What more can you ask for? I don’t care what people say, we're very lucky to have both the Old Glassworks day Centre and St Josephs Night Shelter.
“Samantha’s” Experience at The Sands Project
“Before finding recovery I had 13 detoxes, some in hospital and some at home. The first one was when I was 21 years old, I consider now that I was an alcoholic from this point. I later occasionally used heroin, but soon started excessively using cocaine, enough that I had to sell my house to fund my use. Then I had a cardiac arrest, brought on by an alcoholic fit and on top of this I was suffering from drug induced psychosis, I remember them giving me a head scan! Even then I didn’t really want to stop. It’s only now I can see the true power of the addiction I had.
Anyway something changed at this point and I started to fight for a placement in a treatment centre with the help of a local DAAT worker (Drugs and Alcohol Action Team). Following assessments and referrals, I gained a place in Ravenscourt Treatment Centre in Bognor Regisand commenced on my recovery learning about and working a 12-step programme.”
Samantha came to us having completed three months' rehabilitation at Ravenscourt in Bognor Regis. She immediately settled in well and carried on with the 12-step recovery programme she had started there. On commencement she attended the Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous local meetings regularly. She also continued doing written step work here, as well as attending all internal groups. Within Linkwork support Samantha expressed an interest in continuing her NVQ in Care which she had abandoned due to her addictions. This was achieved by taking up voluntary work in a local nursing home during her stay. Towards the end of her stay in Sands, Samantha started an Access to Higher Education Course at Chichester College to progress in her education.
Samantha then moved into our move-on dry house, with support continued from the Sands Project. She then applied to Brighton, Guildford and Southampton Universities to start a Nursing Diploma, in preparation for when she completes the Access course at Chichester College. Over this period, she found that Maths was a struggle, so within her own budgetary constraints she started private tuition to bring up her marks.
Nearly a year passed and Samantha remained strong in her recovery. This was rewarded by being accepted by all three universities and she accepted a place at Southampton. Support from her Linkworker continued, focusing on housing in Southampton. This proved to be very difficult to obtain, bearing in mind that most shared student accommodation involves some degree of a drinking culture! However after continued searching, a suitable home was found.
“Without Ravenscourt, Sands and, in particular my Linkworker, providing me with the continuing help and support I needed, I would not have done any of this. Thank you”.
Have you got a story?
if you’ve had good experiences of Stonepillow’s services, why not let us know? Staff at projects would be happy to listen to your story and we’ll put it on our website for you!
